Truthful Harmony
by Kyandi-Akatensei
Summary: "He's perfect...perfectly aggervating." Higurashi Hamoni, the older sister of Kagome, is home from college for a break when one day she watches her sister vanish down the shrine well. Hamoni follows her and finds herself centuries in the past, dropped in something new, and horribly in trouble. Sesshomaru/OC
1. Welcome Home Hamoni

Summary: "He's perfect...perfectly irritating." Higurashi Hamoni, the older sister of Kagome, is home from college for a break when one day she watches her sister vanish down the shrine well. Hamoni follows her and finds herself centuries in the past, dropped in something new, and horribly in trouble. Sesshomaru/OC

Kyandi: Hello everyone! For those of you who don't know me, I'm Kyandi-sama! And this is my OC for this story, Higurashi Hamoni.

Hamoni: Hello. Its a pleasure to meet you.

Kyandi: This story was an idea pitched to me by a very loyal reader xmoonlightxblossomx who was happy when I took up the challenge.

Hamoni: From that I was born.

Kyandi: Correct! Together we've come up with some good ideas, so we hope you enjoy the story!

Hamoni: Right! So enjoy and review!

Kyandi: I do now own Inuyasha.

Chapter 1 Welcome Home, Hamoni

"Kagome, time to get up!"

If it wasn't for two things Higurashi Kagome might have waken up thinking she was still in the past. But it was because of these two things that she knew that wasn't the case. The first of these two things was her mother's voice calling for her to get up. The second was that she woke up in her own bed. Both were luxuries that she had grown grateful for over the short time she had been going between the past and the present. She certainly wouldn't be taking either for granted ever again.

Then she remembered.

Kagome bolted up in bed with a gasp. Today was the day that her older sister, Hamoni, was suppose to be coming home.

"I'm up!" Kagome called to her mother as she got out of bed.

For the last year Higurashi Hamoni had been away at a university studying medicine to become a doctor. Today she would be home to take a break from her school centered life. As a request from Kagome, none of their family was going to say a word to Hamoni about Kagome's trips to the past through the shrine well. As Kagome saw it, Hamoni already had her hands full with school and didn't need to worry that either her family had gone insane or that Kagome was going to get hurt or killed by a demon in feudal Japan.

More then likely though Hamoni wouldn't think it was the former and would be more concerned with the latter. Despite a three, almost four, year difference in age and a big difference in personality, Hamoni and Kagome were very close and Hamoni was very protective of her siblings. If Hamoni knew what Kagome did with Inuyasha and the others, fighting demons and all, she would go insane with anger and concern. More concern then anger.

Kagome rushed through a bath and hurried downstairs where her mother and brother were setting up a welcome home party for Hamoni.

"There you are Kagome. Your sister called and she's ten minutes away." her mother said.

Kagome nodded as she took the cake her mother was carrying and sat it on the table.

"How'd she sound?" Kagome asked.

"Happy to be coming home. She sounds as though she's missed home." her mother replied.

"Do you really have to go back tomorrow, sis?" Sota asked as he looked at his sister.

"Its that or have Inuyasha show up here again. We agreed that Hamoni doesn't need to know about him or any of that." Kagoma told him. Her family nodded agreement.

"I have the perfect gift for Hamoni when she gets home." Kagome's grandfather said as he came into the room with a long box in hand.

"What's that Grandpa?" Sota asked turning to look at the box. The older man sat the box on the table and out of it pulled a sword.

"It's a replica of an ancient sword called Yokubo no ken...the Sword of Desires." he said showing his grandson the old looking sword with a pale grey hilt and a solid black scabbard. Hanging from the hilt of the sword was a pure white tassel.

"Since Hamoni loved kendo, she will be able to appreciate this gift more then either of you have ever appreciated my gifts." he added gesturing to Sota and Kagome who just gave each other a look before turning away.

Grandpa Higurashi was just closing the box again when the front door opened and footsteps sounded down the front hall towards the kitchen and dinning room.

"Knock, knock. Anyone home?" came a soft voice. Sota's face lit up when he heard that voice and when the person entered the room, he ran to her.

"Sis!" he called in greeting as he hugged the young woman.

Eighteen year old Hamoni hugged her brother back, a smile on her face. Much like her sister, Hamoni was a slim, curvaceous girl who stood about two or three inches taller then Kagome. Her hair, like her siblings, was also pitch black though hers had more of a blue hue to it and fell in a straight line down to her thighs where it ended in ringlet curls. At the moment, as it usually was, it was all piled on top of her head in a messy bun, leaving only chin length bangs to frame her pretty face.

Unlike her siblings, who both had brown eyes, Hamoni's were a pale, but vivid blue-gray in color and were ringed by long, dark lashes. She had a more mature look to her then Kagome and her fashion taste certainly were very different. As normal Hamoni's style of dress consisted of a pair shorts with a sweater two sizes too big over backless top and a pair of stylish boots. She was conservative in her style of dress but still more feminine then Kagome.

She gave her family a smile as they all greeted her.

"Its good to see all of you again." Hamoni said as she hugged her mother.

"You're home for a while right?" Sota asked.

"Correct." Hamoni told her brother before turning to Kagome.

"Kagome!"

Hamoni greeted holding her arms open. Kagome hugged her sister tightly.

"Eight months really is too long." Hamoni remarked as she let her sister go.

Kagome nodded in agreement. With the greetings of her family out of the way, Hamoni turned to her grandfather as he insisted he had a present to give her. When she opened the box, Hamoni smiled. She pulled the sword out, examining it before pulling the blade out of the sheath.

"Its beautiful, Grandpa." she told him sliding it back into the sheath.

The old man grinned, going off on a rant on how only one of his grandchildren knew how to be grateful. Kagome and Sota watched him, shaking their heads.

"You know I actually missed that." Hamoni said as she watched her grandfather.

In the time she had been gone, she had missed her family very much so, but she enjoyed school and studied hard. Being away from her family did make her worry though. But that was the price to pay of being the oldest.

After eating cake and helping with cleaning Hamoni left her family to go settle her things in her old room, next door to Kagome's. She heaved a sigh as she walked into the room. Though it had only been eight months, it seemed like so long since she had been home. She really had missed it. She sat her bags down on her bed and begin unpacking, putting her clothes away and setting out everything that needed to be. When she reached her own personal first aid kit she simply slipped it into a backpack she carried everywhere.

She could be quite accident prone now and then and the kit came in handy. It was best to just keep it on her. Hamoni pulled another kit out of her suitcase and set it on the desk. This kit was one she used for making trinkets like bracelets and necklaces. It was a small hobby that she enjoyed doing. Out of the kit she pulled out a small box that held a bracelet she had made for Kagome. Hamoni stepped out of her room and up to Kagome's door and knocked.

"Kagome?" she called.

There was no answer from the other side. Hamoni opened the door and peered inside.

"Kagome?" she asked, but there was no one there.

Hamoni shrugged and sat the box on the foot of Kagome's bed, where the younger girl could find it. It was when she turned to leave the room that Hamoni's eyes caught sight of something shining out of the side of her eyes. She turned to Kagome's desk where the shining was coming from. She moved some things aside until she came across a small jar that had shards of a bright, shining jewel, inside. Hamoni opened the jar and tipped a few into her hand. There were four in total.

Though they were glowing, Hamoni figured they were probably just some decorative jewel shards that Kagome had totally forgot about. Why else would they be hidden behind other things on her desk.

"Maybe she won't mind if I take two of them. They would make good earrings." Hamoni remarked to herself, taking two of the shards and tipping the other two back into the jar, closing the jar, and putting it back where she had found it.

She made sure to close Kagome's door before heading back to her own room. Downstairs she could faintly hear Sota running around looking for the family cat. She couldn't help a small sigh and a soft smile. It was good to be home.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Kagome?"

Hamoni opened another door and looked in the room. When she had woken up that morning Kagome had already been out of bed and moving about the house. Now, when Hamoni wanted to show Kagome the earrings she had made out of the jewels she had found in her room, she couldn't find the younger girl. Hamoni grabbed her backpack out of her room before she headed downstairs.

"Mom, have you seen Kagome?" Hamoni asked her mother, sticking her head into the kitchen.

"I think she left to go over to a friends." her mother replied.

Hamoni pursed her lips. It wasn't like Kagome to take off the day after Hamoni's return home. Usually Kagome told Hamoni or even invited her along. It wasn't that Hamoni thought she had to know everything Kagome did, it was just unusual.

"Well, I'm going to head to town. I'll be back shortly." Hamoni told her mother who nodded.

Hamoni closed the door behind her when she stepped outside. She was just crossing the yard when she caught sight of Sota and Kagome. Both were standing in front of the shrine that sat around the family well. Hamoni stayed out of sight as she watched her little siblings. Sota handed Kagome her bag before Kagome bid farewell and started up the steps to the shrine. She vanished inside and didn't come back out. Sota stared at the shrine for a moment before turning...and almost crashing into Hamoni.

"H-Hamoni!" he yelped in surprise at seeing his sister.

Hamoni raised an eyebrow at the nervous look that passed Sota's face. She knew then that something was up and she would find out what.

"Sota...why is Kagome in the shrine?" Hamoni asked. Sota stumbled over words but under the piercing gaze of his oldest sister, he knew he couldn't lie.

"Sota." Hamoni said in warning.

Sota heaved a sigh. Kagome was going to be so made at him, but he rather have Kagome angry with him then Hamoni. Kagome could be scary, but Hamoni was down right terrifying.

"Fine." he said, admitting defeat at the hands of his oldest sister.

He took a deep breath before letting it all slip out in one go.

"Kagome fell down the well one day and traveled back in time where she met this demon guy named Inuyasha. She goes back and forth now and then and he sometimes even comes here. She fights demons and everything and she made the rest of us promise not to tell you because then you'll get upset and you already have enough on your hands." Sota told her.

For a moment Hamoni just stared at him before she reached out and pat him on the head.

"Alright. Tell Mom I'll be back after a while." Hamoni told him before heading up the shrine steps.

"You're going after Kagome!?" Sota asked.

"What kind of big sister would I be if I let her face demons and get hurt alone?" Hamoni asked her brother before heading into the shrine.

She didn't question his explanation, when any sane person would have. She knew Sota wouldn't lie to her. He was usually too scared of her anger to lie to her. When she wanted an answer from him, he usually gave her an honest answer. So no, she didn't question it. She simply walked into the shrine, her bag over one shoulder. Inside Hamoni leaned over the edge of the well and looked down in it. Not seeing anything she heaved herself over the edge and jumped in.

A soft blue light wrapped around her and for a moment she felt like she was floating before she came to a stop, landing on her feet at the bottom of the well. Hamoni looked up towards the top of the well. Past the top she could see open sky.

She wasn't in the shrine anymore.

She should of been shocked, of course, but Hamoni just wasn't the type that let shock and something unusual, stop her from doing her job as a big sister. Hamoni heaved her bag up on her shoulder and started climbing, careful not to fall back down. She tossed her bag over the side when she reached the top before pulling herself up and out, straddling the side to look around.

"Whoa!"

Hamoni stared around her at the open forest around her. It was calm, peaceful, and beautiful. She most definitely was not in the shrine anymore. She wasn't even home for that matter.

"Alright so Sota wasn't kidding." she remarked to herself.

She knew she should probably be more freaked out by the fact that she was no longer in the shrine and possibly not in her own time, but all she could think about was finding her sister. Besides, that was far too many "should be"s for her to be concerned with them. Hamoni climbed down from the well side and picked up her bag.

"Alright, if I was Kagome, where would I go?" she asked herself as she looked around.

It was the her eyes landed on tire tracks on the ground. Hamoni knelled to look at the tracks. They looked like they were bike tracks.

"Did Kagome bring her bike here?" Hamoni asked herself before looking the way the bike tracks went.

She did a double take when her eyes caught sight of the same glow the jewel shards she found in Kagome's room did. Hamoni reached up and touched the shards she had made into earrings and that now hung from her own ears.

"I wonder..." Hamoni got to her feet and set out after the glow. She could freak out about the whole thing after she had found her sister.

END

Kyandi: It was a bit of a rushed job, I'm sorry, but the next chapter will be better.

Hamoni: And we are working on said chapter now.

Kyandi: So please don't give up on us yet.

Hamoni: We hope you enjoy and review.

Kyandi: We'll be back soon.

Hamoni: Goodbye!


	2. Eye to Eye

Kyandi: Hello everyone!

Hamoni: We are back with a new chapter for you all.

Kyandi: Right! And I loved writing the end!

Hamoni: I am sure you did.

Kyandi: My muse is so over flowing at the moment that we should have another chapter out soon.

Hamoni: Until then please enjoy and review.

Kyandi: I do not own Inuyasha!

Chapter 2 Eye to Eye

"Inuyasha!"

Kagome ducked as another demon swooped down to attack her. Her bow and arrow were to far out of her reach and the others were busy fighting their own battles. Of course these winged demons were after the fragments of the Sacred Jewel that Kagome had in a jar tucked safely away in a bag around her neck. With the others tied up though she knew she had to reach her bow and arrow before the demons cause more damage or hurt one of the villages hiding among the fields they stood in. Kagome dodged another attack when something something claimed her attention.

She could sense two jewel shards very near to her. It was almost as if they had just popped up out of nowhere. Like they had been cloaked or hidden from her sense. One minute there was nothing and the next she got the over whelming sense of their presence. Kagome was brought back to her current situation when the demon attacking her swooped down again, aiming straight for her face, talons bared.

"Kagome!" came Shippo's cry.

Before the demon could touch her though and arrow drove itself home in the demon's body and the demon was devoured by a soft blue light. Everyone came to a stop turning to stare in astonishment at what had just happened.

"That was not exactly what I intended to happen." Kagome knew that voice.

She would, never in her life, forget it. And just hearing it filled her with a sense of dread. Kagome turned towards the voice her eyes instantly landing on Hamoni who held a bow in one hand.

"Hamoni!?" Kagome asked in surprise.

Inuyasha and Miroku finished off the last of the demons as Hamoni turned to a villager hiding behind some boulders just behind Hamoni. She handed the bow back to the man and bowed to him.

"Thank you very much for the use of your bow." she told the man before turning back to her sister.

"H-h-how did you get here?" Kagome asked.

One of Hamoni's hands went to her hip and the hip cocked to one side. She was the perfect image of a woman ready to scold.

"The same way you did. I went through the well." Hamoni told her.

"Sota told me everything." she added, her look telling Kagome clearly that she was not pleased.

"Kagome you know her?" Shippo asked coming to a stop by Hamoni and looking up at her.

"She looks a lot like you." he added.

Hamoni looked down at him, blinking at him as she stared down at him for a moment. She hummed low under her breath for a second, before turning to Kagome.

"I will get to the fact that this boy has a fox tail and the one behind you has dog ears, in just a moment. Kagome, what was so awful about informing me of this? Had you simply gone missing I would have been worried sick. Especially since you ordered Mom, Grandpa, and Sota not to say a word of this to me." Hamoni told her sister.

Kagome gave her sister a sheepish look.

"Its just that you already have so much to worry about. I didn't want you being worried about this too. And especially not when you're suppose to be on break." Kagome told her.

"Kagome, who is this person?" Inuyasha asked, rather rudely pointing at Hamoni before Hamoni could say a word in reply to Kagome. Hamoni was unfazed by his rudeness.

"I am her older sister, Hamoni." she told Inuyasha making all stares turn to her.

"Hamoni, how did you even find me?" Kagome asked.

"For one, your bike's tire tracks lead straight here. For two, you have a glowing spot just under the neckline of your shirt. I could see it from the well." Hamoni told her.

Kagome looked down at the hidden jar under her shirt.

"You followed the Sacred Jewel shards?" Kagome asked.

"Sacred Jewel? As in the Shikon Jewel? The one Grandpa told us so much about?" Hamoni asked. Kagome nodded.

"When I first came here it came out of my body and while trying to get it back from a demon I shattered it into shards that are now spread all over the place." Kagomi told her.

"Well that certainly explains the glow from these." Hamoni remarked reaching up to touch her earrings.

"Are those jewel shards!?" Inuyasha asked.

"They are! Where did you get those, Hamoni?" Kagome asked.

"I found them in your room. I thought they were nothing more then decorative costume jewels since they were set so far back on your desk behind everything else." Hamoni told Kagome.

"It would seem we all have must to discuss." Miroku remarked as he joined the others.

"Indeed it would seem so." Hamoni remarked setting a stern look on Kagome that had the younger sister giving her a sheepish look.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Oh, I see. So that is what you have been doing lately." Hamoni remarked looking at her sister.

After finding a quiet place to sit down and talk, Kagome, with the help of her friends, had explained everything to Hamoni who took it all in strides, her expression never changing from a pleasantly neutral look.

"That would explain everything that has happened in the last three years." Hamoni added, thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" Kagome asked. Hamoni glanced at her sister.

"Well, I didn't say anything, but for the last three years or so, things have been...a bit strange. I've seen things no one else has seen, I've felt things that no one else can sense. I won't even get started on my dreams. Its just been very...awkward." Hamoni explained.

"Is that why you are so calm?" Miroku asked, drawing Hamoni's attention to him.

"Oh please do not be mistaken, I am very much shocked and startled at the moment. I'm just simply very good at keeping a calm look on my face." Hamoni told him.

"Well its nice to meet you none the less. I'm Sango." Sango told her.

"This is Shippo and Miroku." she added gesturing to each male in turn. Hamoni's eyes turned to Inuyasha.

"Then that must make you the Inuyasha my little brother told me about." she remarked.

Inuyasha scoffed and turned his back to her.

"Inuyasha, be nice!" Kagome told him.

"It's alright, Kagome. A person can't expect manners from someone with such a short temper." Hamoni remarked making Inuyasha turn on her, bristling.

"What did you just say!?" he snapped at her.

"I do not believe I stuttered and I am certain I have excellent volume control with my voice, but if you really must hear it again, I said you have a short temper." Hamoni told him the calm expression still in place.

This only seemed to anger Inuyasha even more.

"Is she always like this, Kagome?" Shippo asked the younger sister.

"Only with certain people." Kagome replied.

"Anyway, as I said earlier, what made you think you could not tell me this, Kagome?" Hamoni asked suddenly, ignoring Inuyasha entirely only making him even angrier.

"Well...you've been really busy with school and when you are home, you're usually really tired. I didn't want you to be worried." Kagome told her.

Hamoni stared at her sister for a moment before a soft smile fell on her face.

"Kagome, I am, before anything else, your older sister. It's my job to worry." Hamoni told her.

"And besides, had you told me, I could have been of help." she added.

Kagome stared at her.

"You're not going to go back home are you?" Kagome asked.

"Not a chance." Hamoni confirmed. Kagome heaved a sigh.

"I will go back long enough to get a few things but then I'll be right back here." Hamoni added.

"And I'll be holding on to these." she said pointing to her earrings.

When it came to being the big sister she was, Hamoni was firm. She wasn't going to budge in her decision.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Got everything you need?" Kagome asked when Hamoni climbed out of the well.

For the trip back Hamoni had changed clothes. When she came back she was dressed in the same calf high boots, but had changed the pencil skirt she had been wearing for a pair of shorts with a white halter top that had cherry blossom blooming up from the hem. Over that she had pulled on another one of her two sizes too big sweaters. Kagome was sure that she had stuffed a few more into her back as well as packed her bag with her own first aid kit, clothes, and anything else she needed.

But what surprised Kagome was that hanging from Hamoni's belt, was the sword that their grandfather had given her.

"You actually brought that?" Kagome asked her as they started walking, heading back to the group.

"No matter what Grandpa thinks, it's a real sword with with real steel. It'll come in handy if we're fighting demons. I'm not as good of a shot with the bow and arrow as you are." Hamoni told her sister.

When they rejoined the others Inuyasha's eyes instantly went to her belt.

"Can you even use that?" he asked her.

"I can. This is Yokubo no Ken." Hamoni told him, laying one hand on the hilt of the sword.

"'Sword of Desires'?" Sango asked.

"Its a replica of the real Sword of Desires. It was a gift from my grandfather. I'm better with the use of a sword or any kind of long weapon, then anything like a bow." Hamoni told them.

"That's not very priestess like. Aren't you suppose to be her sister?" Inuyasha asked rudely as he pointed to Kagome.

Hamoni looked up at him.

"Well not everyone is alike and I am no priestess. I don't expect to become one either." she told him. Inuyasha turned to look at Kagome as Hamoni walked along side Sango scratching Kirara's chin.

"Is she serious about staying with us?" Inuyasha asked Kagome.

"Hamoni is always serious. You can't ever take anything she says lightly." Kagome answered him.

Inuyasha grumbled to himself as their group continued their journey. Though Inuyasha wasn't too awfully happy about having yet another person join their group, Hamoni took care of her own. She didn't slow them down and seemed to get along with the others well. She didn't complain either. The whole day she walked beside her sister, not really saying anything unless someone said something to her. When they stopped for the night next to a river Hamoni went off to find fire wood.

"Kagome."

Kagome looked at Shippo as the young fox demon came up to her.

"Does she not like us? Doesn't say anything really." Shippo said.

"It's not that Shippo. I think Hamoni's still trying to take all of this in. Even when we were little she was like this. She doesn't show when she's confused or having a hard time with something. She just works through it in silence. She's the oldest and always thought that because of that she could never admit she has issues." Kagome told him.

"She's just trying to work through it all." she assured him.

When Hamoni came back with arms full of firewood she had a feeling that the five people sitting around the fire had been talking about her just recently. When none of them said anything, even when she looked at them, Hamoni just pushed it aside. If they had something they wanted to say they would come out and say it sooner or later. Hamoni, if she wasn't anything else, was patient. She could wait for them to say whatever they wanted to say.

"Hamoni." Hamoni looked up when Sango called her name.

"Yes?" she asked.

"If you're Kagome's sister then how come you didn't find out about her coming here until recently?" Sango asked.

"Yeah, I ain't ever seen you at her house neither." Inuyasha remarked.

"That's because I was away at school, learning and training in the medical field. And its "I haven't seen you" not "I ain't ever seen you."." Hamoni told them, correcting Inuyasha who wasn't happy.

"I just recently came home." she added.

"So you were the one that taught Kagome how to care for wounds?" Miroku asked.

"Yeah she was." Kagome replied for her.

"After so long away from home, I decided it was time to come home." Hamoni remarked.

"It seems I came home at just the right time." Hamoni added as she looked at Kagome who gave her another sheepish look.

"But I am happy to see that Kagome has found friends and a cause that she's so passionate about." Hamoni added.

Hamoni turned her eyes to the fire.

"I admit, I was certainly...startled to say the least when I followed her here, but I have seen some strange times so it wasn't that bad of a shock. I'd gladly take a shock like that if it meant making sure my sister is alright." she told them.

Kagome and Hamoni gave each other a bright smile. It was clear that the two sisters were very close and though Hamoni didn't openly express too much it was clear she loved her sister very much.

"Anyway we should go to bed. Morning will be here all too soon." Hamoni added.

The others nodded in a agreement before settling down for the night. Hamoni wasn't quite sure what role she would play in this new situation but she was sure that no matter what she would do what she could to help her sister.

What were big sisters for anyway?

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

The next morning saw the group up bright and early and heading about their way. Aside from the rare sight of a demon here or there, or other passing humans, the group didn't meet up with anyone else. The day would have been a quiet one if it hadn't been for a run in with a certain white haired demon.

Hamoni was surprised.

Sesshomaru seemed so...regal. The sense of self, the self confidence that flowed off him was like none she had ever felt before...she hated it. Men who were so sure of themselves like him, weren't cute in Hamoni's eyes. Especially when he opened his mouth to his little brother. It was nothing but one rude comment or insult after another. He certainly had a horrible personality. There was no compassion or caring in his words or the way he looked at Inuyasha and his friends. It really made Hamoni want to slap him with everything she had.

But then that would make her the rude one.

Then his gold eyes landed on her. Hamoni's eyebrow lifted in a questioning look as she met his gaze evenly. She must be a lowly sight in the dignified gaze of someone like him who held himself so high and mighty. She could see it on his face as he looked her over. He wasn't happy nor impressed with what he saw. That wasn't a problem for Hamoni. She wasn't happy nor impressed with what she saw either so the feeling was perfectly mutual. Just as quick as his gaze landed on her, it drifted away from her and back to Inuyasha.

"I see you added yet another human to your company, little brother." Sesshomaru remarked to Inuyasha, whose eyes flickered to Hamoni before going back to his brother.

"Yeah, what of it?" Inuyasha retorted.

"You really do pick the lowest of company." remarked the little imp demon with Sesshomaru, his master agreeing with his assessment.

Hamoni felt a spark of her temper starting slip. Uh-oh. She was going to say something rude. She could feel the rude remarked welling up in her chest until it busted forth from her lips.

"Inuyasha." Hamoni said making the half demon look at her.

"Yeah?" he asked.

"I had heard Kagome's opinion and I did not think much of it, but...your brother is a very rude and arrogant narcissist." Hamoni remarked.

All eyes turned to Hamoni who didn't seem the least bit remorseful for what she had just said.

"Hamoni, now really isn't the time to be saying things like that." Kagome told her sister.

"If it is the truth I will speak it." Hamoni told her sister.

Needless to say Hamoni didn't make a very good first impression with Sesshomaru, not that she cared.

"You! How dare such a lowly human wench like you say such a thing about Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken snapped at her, coming to a stop in front of her to point his staff at her.

Hamoni looked down at the imp demon. Needless to say she didn't like what he called her. It wasn't nice. So now she wasn't going to be nice. She blinked at the demon before her before effectively stepping on him, trapping him under her boot.

"You are very rude as well." she told Jaken.

"Says the girl stepping one me!" Jaken replied.

"An eye for an eye. You pay me a rude comment, I pay you a rude gesture. If it displeases you so, then do not start a fight you can not finish. Demon or not, you are a third of my size. The perfect size to step on." Hamoni told the small demon.

Inuyasha leaned towards Kagome, wide eyes set on Hamoni. The others were staring at the girl with wide eyes as well, while Sesshomaru watched in interest.

"Your sister scares me." he told her.

Kagome gave him a sheepish smile. He was only just starting to get to see how scary Hamoni could be when her temper had been pushed. It wasn't usually easy to stroke Hamoni's temper but one sure fire way to do so was a rude, cocky person who was mean to their siblings.

In short, the most sure fire way...was Sesshomaru.

Kagome didn't know anyone else who could possibly get to Hamoni faster. Except maybe Inuyasha now and then. There was one thing for sure...

Hamoni and Sesshomaru wouldn't see eye to eye.

END

Kyandi: When I look at Hamoni I really do get the feeling of a female Sesshomaru some times.

Hamoni: I beg your pardon! I am not arrogant like he is.

Kyandi: That's not what I meant. I meant your treatment of Jaken.

Hamoni: Oh...well you just might be correct then.

Kyandi: I completely am.

Hamoni: As you say. We both hope you all enjoy and review.

Kyandi: We'll be back soon!

Hamoni: Goodbye.


	3. Kidnapping

Kyandi: Hey there my lovely readers!

Hamoni: We are back with another chapter for you.

Kyandi: I actually followed along with an episode for this.

Hamoni: So do now be surprised if it seems familiar.

Kyandi: I also enjoyed writing this chapter. Just like I'll enjoy writing the next chapter.

Hamoni: And we hope you will enjoy reading it.

Kyandi: Right, so please enjoy and review.

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 3 Kidnapping

"You just had to do that didn't you!?"

Hamoni pulled the laces of her boots tight before looking up at Inuyasha who was battered, bruised, and extremely angry at the moment. Aside from a few scuffs on her boots, Hamoni was untouched. She couldn't really say that for the others. Even Kagome was a little battered but no worse off. Hamoni seemed to be the only one in the group that wasn't even dirty for her trouble.

Well except for her boots. Her poor, poor boots.

"He deserved it." she told Inuyasha before turning back to her boots.

"He was being rather rude. The both of them were." she added. Inuyasha's eye twitched as he looked at her.

"You didn't have to kick the imp at him!" Inuyasha snapped.

Hamoni heaved a sigh. In the midst of Inuyasha's fight with his brother, Hamoni had grown rather irked with Jaken and Sesshomaru alike and in a brief lapse of calm, had kicked Jaken right at Sesshomaru. Of course Sesshomaru had simply knocked Jaken aside before he could hit him, but it didn't make him any less irritated with the human female for doing such a thing.

"He could have killed you!" Inuyasha snapped at her.

"In case you haven't noticed, there are a lot of things in life that can kill you. Letting that bother you is just giving in to fear." Hamoni replied as she got to her feet.

"Besides you seem able to deal with him." she added.

This stopped any other retort Inuyasha could make and put a grin on his face.

"You just made him have a bigger head." Kagome told her sister lowly.

"I know. It was a good way to get him to be quiet." Hamoni replied back.

The others hide laughs behind hands making Inuyasha shoot glared at them.

"Really though, Inuyasha, you shouldn't worry even the tiniest bit about me. Your brother doesn't scare me. Without fear, what power does he really have?" Hamoni remarked looking at the half demon.

Inuyasha gave her a confused look.

"He could rip you to shreds, duh!" he snapped at her. Hamoni shook her head.

"You just don't understand." she told him before turning to walk away, Kagome and Sango falling into step beside her.

"What is she talking about?" Inuyasha asked looking at Miroku and Shippo.

"I do not know." Miroku replied.

Clearly Hamoni was a mystery to more then just Inuyasha.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Raining demon limbs?"

Hamoni stared at the man before her in shock.

"How odd." Miroku remarked.

"It was awful and not only that, but it completely ruined all of our fields!" one farmer complained.

"I would imagine it did." Hamoni remarked.

"If only it were just the fields. The old, the sick, the young, the weak. So many have become sickened." another said sorrowfully.

This part caught Hamoni's attention. As one studying and training to be a doctor, to hear that others were suffering from sickness, hurt her heart.

"Leave it to me." Miroku promised the farmers before the group of friends set out once more.

"So here we come to save the day, again. Do we have time for this?" Inuyasha complained in a manner that Hamoni was slowly becoming use to.

"What about Naraku huh? Or does he not matter anymore?" Inuyasha asked.

As they had traveled, Kagome and the others had told Hamoni of this Naraku who sought the Scared Jewel shards. But Hamoni had yet to meet this man. Despite that she knew it was only time before she did. After all she, herself, wore two shards of the jewel in plain sight, hanging from her ears. Something that Kagome had protested but Hamoni would not budge on.

"Why" was a question Hamoni refused to answer.

"Nobody has forgotten anything, but Kagome's arrow...it really did him some damage." Miroku told Inuyasha.

"Even Naraku would be down for a while after something like that." he added.

Hamoni had a feeling that that wasn't all of the reason. She was learning that with Miroku it wasn't ever just that simple.

"Besides...I've already accepted payment for service rendered." Miroku added.

And there it was.

"When did that happen?" Kagome asked looking at the money in Miroku's hands.

"You haven't done anything yet! The paying part of it doesn't usually come until afterwards!" Inuyasha snapped at Miroku.

"If you wait, you'll get cheated on the tip." Miroku replied.

Hamoni shook her head at his foolishness.

"Some monk. You, my friend, are far too worldly of a monk." she remarked as Inuyasha and Miroku argued over something about bribes.

Kagome and Hamoni just shook their heads before they realized that Sango was staring off into the distance.

"Sango? What's wrong?" Kagome asked.

"The miasma...I think it's at the base of that mountain." Sango remarked staring at a mountain ahead of them in the distance.

"I was just wondering if someone beside Naraku could produce such poison." she added.

"Someone other then Naraku?" Miroku asked.

Hamoni turned her gaze into the distance.

"I don't know about that. Its faint, and the miasma makes it fainter, but I can sense something in that direction. I am not entirely sure of what though." Hamoni remarked making her friends look at her.

"There is one thing for sure...whatever produced those poisonous clouds, leaves a very sour and bitter taste in my mouth." she added, something the others could agree on.

The group continued their trek to the mountain and upon reaching it Inuyasha took Kagome's bike from her while the female companions climbed onto Kirara's back with Shippo. Hamoni rode behind Sango, her eyes and senses alert to anything that could jump out at them.

"The poison has even killed the grass." Shippo remarked.

"We're almost there. Whatever's going on here...I don't like it." Inuyasha remarked.

"That would make two of us, Inuyasha." Hamoni remarked.

"This place, makes my skin crawl." she added.

The group came to a halt as the trail ended at a doorway of sorts, set into the mountain side.

"Look! I think that's where the miasma is coming from." Kagome said while Sango covered her mouth, coughing at the thickness of the air.

Hamoni was pulled from scanning the area around them when Sango slid from Kirara's back.

"Sango!?" Kagome asked, worriedly. Hamoni and Kagome quickly slid off, kneeling next to their friend.

"Are you okay?" Kagome asked.

"Oh of course not. You're still sick." she added.

Hamoni looked at Sango, making the other girl look at her as she checked her eyes and made her open her mouth so she could check there too.

"Definitely still sick. You should have said something Sango." Hamoni told her.

"Sango, Kagome, Hamoni, you three stay here." Inuyasha told them. Hamoni looked up.

"Come again?" she asked.

"It's just a demon hunt. Ain't no sense in dragging everyone along. Miroku, you coming?" Inuyasha said looking over his shoulder.

Miroku nodded. Hamoni might have disagreed if Sango wasn't sick. It wasn't in Hamoni to leave a sick or injured person. That was why she had started studying medicine to begin with.

"Put your gas mask on, Sango. It might help a bit." Hamoni told her.

She would have looked for herbs to help, but every plant near them was dead. It wouldn't have yielded any result anyhow. Sango did as told, Kagome sitting next to her while Hamoni looked around.

"The poison's getting worse, Sango. I'm worried about you." Kagome remarked.

"I'm alright. But what about you and Hamoni?" Sango asked.

"Don't worry about us. We're fine." Kagome said.

"She's right. For some reason it doesn't seem to be bother us as much as you." Hamoni told Sango.

All of their attention was drawn to the door way when a sinister howl sounded.

"What is going on in there? It's like I'm being pulled in. Something really bad must be going on." Shippo remarked.

"I wish Inuyasha and Miroku weren't in the middle of it." Kagome remarked.

"And I wish we had some way of knowing how they fair." Hamoni remarked.

"I really don't like sitting around like this." she added.

The longer they waited the more Hamoni got a really bad feeling. And it seemed she wasn't the only one. Kagome, Shippo, and Sango were starting to feel the exact same way as her.

"They're taking too long." Kagome remarked.

"Yes...lets go." Sango said getting to her feet.

Hamoni stepped forward, catching Sango as she staggered.

"Sango, no, you can't." Kagome told her.

"You're still too weak from before. You'll die in there." Shippo told her.

"They're right, Sango." Hamoni chimed in.

"Come on, lets get out of here." Kagome insisted.

"The miasma is only making your condition worse." Hamoni said in agreement.

Then something else caught Hamoni's attention. She turned on her heel looking off into the fog.

"Who's there?" she called.

Kagome gasped as from out of the fog, came Kikyo. Hamoni had been told how much Kagome resembled the priestess but it was still kind of stocking. The woman came to a stop when she saw them.

"So Inuyasha must be inside." Kikyo said, looking them over.

"You must be Priestess Kikyo." Hamoni remarked looking at the woman.

"And you are?" she asked.

"Hamoni. Kagome's older sister." Hamoni replied.

Blue-grey eyes met brown as the priestess and Hamoni stared at each other. Kikyo finally just turned away from her, heading past them and through the doorway into the mountian.

"Kikyo? Wasn't that the name of the priestess?" Shippo asked. Hamoni stared at the doorway.

"Kagome no!"

Sango's voice made Hamoni turn to where her sister was collecting her bow and arrows to follow after the priestess.

"Are you going to follow her?" Shippo asked.

"I have to." Kagome replied.

"No you don't." Hamoni remarked, laying a hand on her sisters arm.

"You could be hurt or worse." Hamoni added sternly.

"I do have to." Kagome insisted.

Hamoni stared at her sister. It was clear on Kagome's face that she wasn't going to let Hamoni stop her.

"Stay here with Sango. You can help her if she gets worse." Kagome told her.

Hamoni wasn't about to let her sister follow a woman who was suppose to be dead into a mountain filled with miasma and who knew what else.

"For some reason whenever she shows up, it can't be good. I have to go." Kagome insisted. Hamoni heaved a sigh.

"You best be careful." Hamoni told her.

"Kirara. Take Kirara with you." Sango told Kagome, the little two tailed demon bounding up to Kagome.

With that Kagome followed Kikyo into the mountain. Hamoni knew she shouldn't let Kagome follow her but she didn't think she could stop Kagome at this point. But then something else pulled at Hamoni's attention. Hamoni turned searching, seeking, what it was that called her attention.

"Hamoni? What is it?" Sango asked.

"I can sense another jewel shard and it's not the ones Kagome and I have." Hamoni remarked, trying to locate where it was coming from.

"Something is not right." Hamoni remarked.

She looked up at the top of the mountain in time to watch a soft purple light fill the air. It looked like one of Kagome's sacred arrows but it didn't feel like hers. That meant it had been fired by Kikyo. The miasma around them vanished then as a flying mass of demon parts flew out of the mountain top.

"Come on. We must find the others." Hamoni told Sango and Shippo.

The two nodded following Hamoni in her search of the others. When they found them, the group left the mountain for cleaner air. Near a river Kagome told Hamoni, Shippo, and Sango what had happened in the mountain. Hamoni wasn't surprised. Then that meant that the jewel shard she had sense had come from Naraku. That was no surprise to her.

"Wouldn't you say those two have been acting strange?"

Sango's comment drew Hamoni out of her thoughts and made her look up from her work of mixing the juice and pulp of herbs together that would be boiled with water to make a tea to sooth Sango's cough.

"Yep." Miroku remarked.

Both were watching Kagome and Inuyasha. Kagome was trying to get Inuyasha up and moving to go save Kikyo, but Inuyasha insisted he would save her on his own. Which Hamoni could understand. If she had the ability to save someone she cared for, she wouldn't ask for help. But sometimes help was necessary. This comment from Inuyasha led Miroku to planting his foot on the back of Inuyasha's head.

"Quit being such a stubborn fool." Miroku told Inuyasha.

"Or have you forgotten who it was that kidnapped Kikyo? I want my own revenge. I wouldn't even have this hole in my right hand if it wasn't for Naraku." Miroku told Inuyasha.

"He has been an enemy to all of us, remember." Sango added as Hamoni handed her a cup with the herbal tea she had just made in it.

"What do you think makes you so special?" Shippo asked.

"Even I have to agree, Inuyasha, and this Naraku has not done anything to me personally." Hamoni said turning to look at Inuyasha.

"Look we all know what happened between you and Kikyo. You don't have to sneak around trying to fix everything behind our backs!" Kagome told Inuyasha.

"I don't sneak around, okay! I have never snuck in my life!" Inuyasha snapped.

"It's "sneaked", Inuyasha." Hamoni corrected, Inuyasha shooting her a glare.

"Inuyasha, over there!"

Miroku's yell made everyone look up at the white soul gatherers flew over head.

"It's Kikyo's soul gatherers." Inuyasha remarked.

"That means she must be even closer then we thought." Hamoni remarked.

"You coming?" Inuyasha asked looking at the others.

The others nodded, getting ready to head out. Once again Hamoni found herself riding on Kirara's back, this time riding behind Kagome, while Sango sat in front.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything, Kagome, but why aren't you with Inuyasha?" Sango asked looking at Kagome.

"I uh...um..." Kagome trailed off.

"Because she's jealous." Hamoni replied to Sango while Kagome went on a mental tiraid, not paying attention to her sister or friends.

To Hamoni who had know her, her whole life, it was clear to see Kagome's feelings. In fact it was painfully clear. And it made Hamoni slightly livid with Inuyasha for being so blind to it. If she got the chance she would hit Inuyasha in the head.

"Look more gatherers!" Sango pointed out.

Hamoni looked up at the white creatures around them. Something wasn't right and the buzzing that came to her ears confirmed it.

"Those are not gatherers! They're Naraku's insects!" Hamoni called.

"It's a trap!" Sango added.

But it was too late to change their course. Fog engulfed them. Hamoni soon found herself alone with only Kagome.

"Where could have everyone have gone off to?" Kagome asked.

"That is exactly the question I was asking myself." Hamoni remarked looking around, her hand resting on her sword hilt.

Kagome freaking out and swinging her bow around, made her look up. Her sister was obviously worried and concerned.

"Calm down, Kagome. Check over that way for the others. I'll go this way." Hamoni told her sister who nodded.

Kagome took off and Hamoni continued in her search of her friends. Where could they have gone? Somewhere near by Hamoni could sense another shard of the jewel, moving about, but she wasn't sure who had it. It wasn't tainted so she doubted it was Naraku who held it, but she was pretty sure it wasn't Kagome either. Her sister had gone in the opposite direction from the shard.

Hamoni found herself then at a cliff side. She peered over the side, trying to see past the fog, but couldn't. She could not see a few feet past the edge of the cliff, let alone the bottom. Then she felt the presence of the shard come to a stop right behind her.

It was in that moment that she knew who it was.

"You know, I have the feeling that you dislike me considerably." Hamoni remarked as she turned to look at Kikyo.

The priestess certainly didn't look happy to see her. Then again she showed less emotion then Hamoni herself did. Hamoni's eyes landed on the shard of the jewel in Kikyo's chest and the other one in her hand. Hamoni recognized the necklace chain that hung from Kikyo's hand and felt anger flash through her.

"Where did you get Kagome's shards of the jewel?" she asked her eyes narrowing. She turned to fully face the priestess.

"What have you done to my sister?" Hamoni asked, her voice carrying a hint of a temper waiting to snap.

The other woman tilted her head to the side, considering Hamoni carefully, but never taking another step towards her. Her eyes drifted from Hamoni's face to the sword hilt where Hamoni's hand rested.

"You instantly assumed I did something to her." Kikyo said.

"Am I wrong?" Hamoni asked, hand on the hilt of her sword.

"No, you are not." Kikyo replied.

"And now that you have stolen away the shards from Kagome and have harmed her, you seek to take those I hold." Hamoni stated instead of asked.

Kikyo's eyes drifted to the shards that hung from Hamoni's ears, before looking straight into her eyes.

"You assume I did not kill her." Kikyo remarked.

"I do not assume what I know for sure. She is alive." Hamoni replied.

"And what makes you so sure?" Kikyo asked curiously.

"That is a fool's question and you, yourself, are an older sister. I am her sister. I know when she hurts, I know when she is well. You can not play with me the mind games you can play with others, Kikyo. It will take more then that to pull the sheep's wool over my eyes." Hamoni replied.

"Now quit with your idly chatter. You came to take my shards of the jewel. If that is what you seek then you will have a fight for it. Let us not forget that for daring to harm my sister, I will have my revenge." Hamoni told her, hand on her sword.

"You think you can fight me with a sword?" Kikyo asked.

"I am very well trained. Even if you do use a bow, an arrow is easy enough to dodge for one with fast reflexes." Hamoni replied.

"Why do you seek to protect those shards?" Kikyo asked.

"Because protecting them is important to Kagome. As an older sister is it not my responsibility to support her as I can? To see that she is happy?" Hamoni replied.

"I see. Very well then." Kikyo said raising one hand.

Hamoni's threw her arms up before her to protect her eyes from the suddenly blast of aura that hit her. It made her stumble back away from it...until her foot slipped from the cliff edge. Hamoni's eyes flew open wide as she rest of her body followed her foot over the edge of the cliff.

It had all been a trap from the very beginning.

A hand full of Kikyo's gatherers flew towards Hamoni, probably to trap her so that Kikyo could claim the jewel shards hanging from her ears, but Hamoni wouldn't have it. She drew her sword, lashing out with it. A soft blue glow that flowed from the blade, banished the creatures before they could save her from the fall. At least she was able to protect the jewels if nothing else.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Is everyone alright?" Inuyasha asked looking from Kagome to Miroku who had Sango and Shippo on his back.

"Yes, we seem to be fine." Miroku remarked looking over his shoulder at the two he carried who were still trying to wake up fully.

"Where's Hamoni?" Kagome asked looking around.

Inuyasha and Miroku looked at each other as Miroku sat Sango down.

"I didn't see her when I was looking around." Miroku said.

"I'll find her." Inuyasha told Kagome who was starting to look a little frantic.

Inuyasha lead the way, sniffing out Hamoni the best he could with the fog around them.

"Where could she have gotten to?" Shippo asked, now fully awake and walking beside Kagome as they searched for the older Higurashi sister.

"She said split up so we could find all of you and then that was the last time I saw her." Kagome said, worry clear on her face as she searched for any signs of her sister.

Inuyasha opened his mouth to say something to her when he finally caught a strong whiff of Hamoni's scent. The scent was strong enough that he knew in what direction she had went.

"I caught her scent." Inuyasha said, hurrying to follow it.

"Kagome can you sense her jewel shards?" Sango asked. Kagome shook her head.

"No I can't." she said as Inuyasha hurried ahead.

If it wasn't for his sharp eyes, Inuyasha might have charged right over the cliff when he reached it.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked as the others joined him.

"This is where her scent ends. Right over the edge." Inuyasha said looking around.

Despite her scent being strong in that area there was no sight of the girl anywhere. There was no where she could have gone but over and down.

"Kagome, isn't that part of Hamoni's sweater?" Sango asked pointing to a tree limb that hung out over the edge of the cliff.

Sure enough there, hanging limply from the branch, was a piece of the white sweater Hamoni had been wearing. Kagome's eyes went wide.

"Don't worry Kagome. We just have to get to the bottom and find her." Inuyasha assured Kagome.

"We will find her." he added.

The only question was, would they find her alive.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Lord Sesshomaru, please wait for me!"

Sesshomaru ignored the call from behind him, as he always did. Jaken rushed after his master, climbing over boulders along the river's edge in the process. He heaved the staff up on his shoulder as he sped up so that he could keep up with the dog demon.

He was running so fast that he almost ran into Sesshomaru's leg when the white haired demon suddenly came to a stop in front of him.

"My lord, what is it?" Jaken asked as he stepped around Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru wasn't paying attention to the imp. His golden eyes were set on the ground just a few feet ahead of them. Jaken turned to see what his master was staring at and found it easily. Laying on the ground ahead of them, a midst fallen boulders and broken tree limbs, and unconscious, was Hamoni.

Jaken rushed forward to stand over the girl. She was sprawled out on her back, her clothes ripped, one spot over her left hip, bloody, and her hair ripped free from its usual ties. Hanging loosely from one hand, was an unsheathed sword. It looked like the girl had fallen from the cliffs above and that, lucky for her, tree limbs had slowed her fall enough that nothing looked broken. But one tree limb or something along the way, had pierced just above her left hip.

"My lord, it is that girl that travels with Inuyasha. The one that kicked me at you, my lord." Jaken said looking up at Sesshomaru as the other demon walked forward to stand over the girl.

Laid out like she was, and injured, she looked so helpless to Sesshomaru, as all humans did. Though the sight of this girl like this didn't inspire the disgust he usually felt. Only interest. It was a completely different look from the one she had shown him the last time they had met. He wasn't even completely sure that she was still alive.

Jaken reached out then to poke the girl's cheek with one claw. Hamoni's features contorted in pain as she winced, but she didn't open her eyes or wake up. She was still alive, but it was clear she was hurt. She wouldn't be fighting anyone for a while. But that wasn't what Sesshomaru was thinking. If Hamoni was here, that meant Inuyasha was near by. But if that was the case...then why hadn't they come to Hamoni's aid? It was clear, by the drying blood on the ground and on her, that she had been laying there for a while now as it was.

"What do you wish to do, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked as he poked at Hamoni again.

Sesshomaru looked the girl over. He still wasn't too pleased with having Jaken kicked at him by the girl and if he had her, he could pressure Inuyasha into handing over the Tessaiga.

Without a word to Jaken, Sesshomaru stepped up to the girl's side and bent down. With just the one arm, he gathered her against his chest and picked her up. As he stood up, the sword fell from her loose grip and clanged against the rocky shore of the river bank.

"Are we taking her with us, my lord?" Jaken asked looking up at the girl in the arms...arm, of his master.

"Yes. Gather the sword Jaken." Sesshomaru told the imp demon, who picked up the sword before following his master.

Sesshomaru carried on down the river, Hamoni cradled against his chest, her hair tumbling over his arm and around him in a sheet of black. The girl might be more trouble then she was worth, but she might also be just what he needed to get Inuyasha to hand over the Tessaiga. Until his brother did so, Sesshomaru wouldn't let Hamoni go and he wouldn't let her out of his sight.

Not for a moment.

END

Kyandi: My muse is enjoy this story too much.

Hamoni: Good, then get to work on the next chapter.

Kyandi: Yes ma'am!

Hamoni: Do not ma'am me.

Kyandi: Right, sorry. Anyway, please enjoy and review!

Hamoni: We will be back soon!

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	4. Not Afraid

Kyandi: Told you we'd be back soon!

Hamoni: And here we are.

Kyandi: Right and since you all have heard so much of us lately...

Hamoni: We will not waste any more of your time.

Kyandi: So please review and enjoy.

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 4 Not Afraid

"This isn't right. She should be right here."

Kagome looked around. They had finally reached the bottom of the cliff where rocks and tree limbs from above lay scattered on the bank of a river along with splashes of blood. Hamoni's blood, Kagome was sure. It was clear that that was where Hamoni had landed and that she was hurt. But since there was no blood splatter leading away from the spot, Hamoni couldn't have possibly have gotten up and walked off on her own.

"Where could she have gone?" Sango asked looking around.

"It looks like she's badly hurt." Shippo said, concern clear in his voice as he looked at the blood splattered on the ground.

"I can't sense her jewel shards." Kagome said worriedly.

Inuyasha wasn't listening to any of it. He had caught a different scent and it was one that really angered him. He even let out a low growl when he smelled the scent.

"Inuyasha, what is it?" Miroku asked looking at his friend who was staring off down the river bank, in the direction that the scent lead off to.

"I smell Sesshomaru." Inuyasha growled in reply. The others all turned to stare at him.

"You don't think he took her do you?" Sango asked.

"His stench is all over the place." Inuyasha remarked. In his mind there was no denying that Sesshomaru took Hamoni.

"He won't kill her will he?" Kagome asked.

When Inuyasha looked at her it looked like she was about to cry. He couldn't watch her cry. He just couldn't.

"Don't cry, Kagome. We'll find Hamoni and get her back." Sango told her.

"Yeah, what she said." Inuyasha agreed. Kagome looked up at them.

"We'll track Sesshomaru down and make him give her back." Inuyasha told her.

Kagome nodded, rubbing at her eyes to rub away tears that had started to gather in her eyes. Inuyasha was going to find Sesshomaru alright. And when he did he was going to beat the crap out of his for taking Hamoni and upsetting Kagome.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

Pain.

Hamoni felt like her side was burning. It was that burning pain that helped her pull her way up out of unconsciousness. When she opened her eyes, she found herself staring up at the night sky, stars shining back at her from between tree limbs. She could have sworn that she had fallen from a cliff after Kikyo had attacked her in an attempt to steal her jewel shards. And yet there was no cliff side in sight and she was pretty sure she had landed on a river bank.

She could no longer hear the gurgling of the river, nor could she feel rock under her back. Hamoni's hands instantly flew up to her ears, checking for the jewel shards. Both were still hanging, safely from her ears. For that she was grateful. Kikyo hadn't gotten them after all. Hamoni rolled her head to the side to look around. She was laying on a bed of clover in a clearing in a forest. There was no river in sight. To make things worse, sitting a few yards away from her in front of a fire, with a double headed dragon, was Jaken.

That meant Sesshomaru was around. Oh just lovely.

Thankfully for her, Jaken had his back to her and was too busy complaining to himself about his master taking off and leaving him alone to watch her. Hamoni eased herself into a sitting position, flinching from the pain in her left side. When she looked down she found her tattered sweater stained red. She had been injured and her clothes had been ripped beyond repair.

But what possibly annoyed her the most, was that her hair had been ripped free of its tie and now fell around her in tangles.

Hamoni looked around in search of her bag and sword, both of which were missing. She found both sat at the base of a tree, just two feet from her. If she was quiet and quick, since Sesshomaru was gone, she could sneak away from Jaken and try to find her way back to her sister and friends. Hamoni eased herself to her feet quietly, watching Jaken's back the whole time.

She picked up her bag and sword, heaving her bag back onto her back and slipping her sword back onto her belt. She spared one last glance at Jaken and the dragon before she took off. It hurt to move and pain pierced through her side, but she kept moving. Getting away from Jaken was easy. She was easily five times his size.

Sesshomaru on the other hand...that would be a little more tricky.

So she would slip away while Sesshomaru wasn't around. She would get as far away as possible. With a dog demon it would also be a good idea to do something to cover her scent so he couldn't follow it easily. Hamoni picked her way through the forest, moving as fast as her injury would allow her. Soon she found herself clear of the trees and back at the river. If she followed the river, it might lead her back to her friends. But which way would lead back to where Sesshomaru had found her? Hamoni looked upstream and then down.

Finally she heaved a sigh.

She would head upstream. Even if it was the wrong way the others would follow the river in search of her. Hamoni turned and hurried upstream, following the river. Soon she would have to stop and check her injuries. Perhaps wash the wound and bandage it. She traveled a bit farther, following the river's winding path until she was sure she had gone far enough that she could afford to stop for a few moments.

She settled down at the river side and pulled off the tattered remains of her sweater. She pulled out her first aid kit before using her ruined sweater, soaked in the river, to clean away the blood on her side. The injury under it was a gash about three or four inches in length. It wasn't too awfully deep and not life threatening as long as she kept it clean, but it would hurt for quite some time.

"I should head across the river first." Hamoni remarked to herself as she looked across the river. She packed up her things, tossed her tattered clothes, and waded into the river.

She found a part of the river that wasn't as wide and therefore not as deep as the rest. Even then the water reached half way up her chest. It wouldn't completely wash away her scent but between the water and tossing her bloody clothes, it would weaken her scent enough that Sesshomaru would not have an easy time tracking her.

She even took a moment, after tossing her bag onto the opposite bank, to dunk her head under the water and wash dirt and blood from her hair. On the other side of the river, Hamoni dressed in a spare pair of shorts and a sleeveless top that she had in her bag. Her boots, though wet and scuffed up, were still usable.

Hamoni dried her wound, applied an ointment, and bandaged the wound. She would have to be careful, or risk opening the wound again. She didn't imagine that would feel too awfully good. Especially since her supply of medical equipment and supplies, was limited. With that in mind she pulled her bag back on her back and headed out. She stuck close to river as she walked. By this point the sky was starting to lighten with the oncoming dawn. At this rate she would have to run into someone.

She had to.

It was a fresh water river. There had to be villages all up and down the river. So sooner or later, she had to run into someone. She just didn't want it to be who she did run into. Hamoni rounded a bend in the river only to come to a halt when she saw who stood just ahead, waiting for her.

Sesshomaru didn't look pleased at all to see her. And to be truthfully honest...the feeling was mutual. But Hamoni noticed something else. Sesshomaru looked as if he, himself had just recovered from injuries not to long ago.

Hamoni braced herself, hand going to the hilt of her sword. Sesshomaru's eyes flickered from her face to her hand on the sword.

"You honestly believe you can fight me with that sword? In you condition, no less." he asked, the contempt in his voice clear as day.

"If you insist on detaining me, then yes." Hamoni replied.

The answer clearly wasn't one that he expected to receive. The narrowing of his eyes was enough to make Hamoni want to smile, but she didn't. Smiling might anger him more then he already was. She was defiant, not stupid.

"You seem to be ill informed. If you believe I will just helplessly submit and do as told, you are very sadly mistaken." she added.

Hamoni drew her sword, holding it at the ready. Unlike Sesshomaru, Hamoni was left handed and held her sword firmly in her left hand. Her stance suggested years of practice with a sword and her expression was of one determined not to back down from anything. Though she may of had years of practice with the sword, Sesshomaru had centuries.

"I will not act the part of a defenseless maid traumatized by an arrogant tyrant." she told him.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed slightly. He had had enough of her mouth. If she wanted a sword fight then fine. Sesshomaru drew his sword.

"If you want to die by my blade, then so be it. Attack." he told her.

Hamoni's expression didn't change, even with the threat that Sesshomaru's voice carried.

"A wise swordsman, never attacks first. It leaves them open and helpless to a counter attack." she replied.

Sesshomaru was about to reply to that comment, when she darted forward. For a human, and an injured one at that, she was very fast, striking like a provoked snake. Sesshomaru raised his blade to stop her, catching her swing easily, but Hamoni wouldn't be stopped there. Hamoni twisted her blade, sliding it past his and lunging forward. Sesshomaru side stepped the blade, but not before it ripped through his clothing leaving a very shallow cut on his side. It probably would not have even left that if it wasn't for the purification aura around her strike.

Sesshomaru was surprised that even that had cut him. She was clearly strong where her purification skills were concerned, though untrained. That being the case, Sesshomaru would not stand for any farther injury from her. Sesshomaru, instead of using his blade, lashed out instead with his poison whip. He caught her around the left wrist, the whip wrapping around the thin wrist and burning the skin. Hamoni flinched at the burn before he yanked on the whip, yanking her off balance.

Sesshomaru pulled more, pulling her arm so far out that it exposed her injured side, which she had been trying to protect by keeping her left side turned from him and her arms tucked in. He released her wrist and struck her injured side with the hilt of his sword. Hamoni gasped, dropping her sword and doubling in on herself, wrapping both arms around her stomach as she dropped to her knees.

Pain bloomed anew in her side. It made the pain from the burn on her wrist seem like nothing more then a mild twinge. Sesshomaru looked down at her in contempt before bending to pick up her sword. Out of her grip the blade had lost it's purification effects allowing him to hold it easily. Sesshomaru looked at the blade before looking down at Hamoni. He held the blade out, using the tip to tip her chin up, making her look up at him.

"For a human to believe they could stand against me...you are foolish." he told her.

Hamoni's eyes narrowed as she looked at him. It was a pure defiant and proud look.

"A real man would not have to resort to attacking an opponent's injury to disarm them." she replied.

"At least your brother would not have stooped so low." she added. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed.

"You dare to compare me to him?" he asked.

"Apparently you do not see how much you two resemble the other. Your arrogance, your short tempers. You truly are brothers." Hamoni remarked.

She had managed to push a button in him that shouldn't have been pushed. The short temper she had pointed out, snapped. Sesshomaru pulled his hand back to strike her with his claws but before he could strike she looked up at him.

"I do not fear you." she told him.

Sesshomaru paused. That was a first. He had never had someone look at him and tell him that they were not afraid of him. And she didn't either. There was not a single ounce of fear on her face. Even though it was painfully clear that he could kill her and easily, she was not afraid.

"You claim yourself to be all powerful, mighty, but truly what power does a man like you have if those he fights and forces his power over do not fear him. You will have no such power over me." she told him sternly.

Sesshomaru hated to admit it but she had sparked his interest. She was certainly a type of person he had never come across before. Sesshomaru slipped her sword into his belt along side his own before reaching out. He grabbed Hamoni by her chin, forcing he to get her feet or have her neck broken.

"It matters not if you fear me. I need you only for one purpose. Until then you are a necessary annoyance." he told her her.

Hamoni's expression didn't change in the slightest. Not that she had much time to really consider it. Before she could so much as utter a sound, Sesshomaru hit her in the back of the neck, knocking the young girl out. He caught her before she could hit the ground. He would have to keep a close eye on her, seeing how Jaken wasn't able to keep her under control. It would be an easy task for him.

After all it was only until he could trade her for the Tessaiga, and then she could go back to being Inuyasha's headache.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

When next Hamoni woke up, she could feel the beginnings of her temper starting to slip. Especially when she found herself, once again, back in the clearing on a bed of clover. This time her sword was gone completely from her possessions. But this time, Sesshomaru was sitting at the base of a nearby tree. It was clear that he wasn't going to allow room for her to sneak off again. Hamoni rubbed the back of her neck. He certainly hadn't held back just because she was a human.

But compared to the pain she felt from her side wound when she sat up, her neck was just a mild ache. Hamoni winced and slid up the side of her shirt to peer at the bandages wrapped around her waist. Despite padding the bandage heavily, she had bled through it. She knew it was because of Sesshomaru's hit to her wound. Had he not hit there she wouldn't of bled through the bandage.

So naturally...she blamed him.

"Are you feeling better?"

Hamoni looked up when a little voice spoke to her. She found herself looking into the brown eyes of a little girl in a brightly colored kimono. She was clearly human. But didn't Sesshomaru hate humans?

Hamoni glanced past the child to Sesshomaru who still had his eyes close, but she was sure he was listening.

"I am fine." Hamoni told the young girl who smiled brightly.

"I'm Rin!" she told Hamoni happily.

"Hamoni. How old are you Rin?" Hamoni asked.

"Eight." was the reply she got.

The girl was so young. Why was she traveling with demons? Sesshomaru, who hated humans, most of all.

"You're about the same age as my little brother." Hamoni told her as Rin sat down next to her.

"You have a little brother?" Rin asked. Hamoni nodded.

"And a little sister, but she's quite a bit older then you." Hamoni told her.

"And how old are you?" Rin asked excitedly.

Apparently the girl didn't get much conversation out of her traveling companions.

"I am eighteen. I will be nineteen very soon." Hamoni told her.

Rin smiled at her again. Then her face lit up and she was on her feet once more. She certainly was a very active child that much was for sure.

"Are you hungry? I caught fish!" she said excitedly.

Hamoni shook her head.

"No thank you. My hunger is nonexistent at this point in time." Hamoni told her.

Rin started at her in confusion. Clearly she wasn't highly educated. Hamoni would have to simplify her vocabulary around her.

"I am not hungry." Hamoni told her. Rin seemed to deflate at that.

"Oh..." was all she said.

Hamoni felt bad for stepping on the girl's cheerful mood, but with Sesshomaru there, her dislike of him was making it rather hard to be hungry. Beside, Hamoni needed to worry more about her wound.

"Where is my bag?" Hamoni asked looking around.

Rin took off happily, retrieving the bag from beside Sesshomaru. She brought it back to Hamoni. Jaken scoffed from where he sat. Apparently he didn't think Rin should be so nice to her. Hamoni ignored him and thanked Rin who sat back down next to her to watch as Hamoni pulled out her first aid kit and sat it on the ground.

"What is that?" Rin asked looking at the kit.

"A medical kit."

Hamoni told her as she opened the kit. Rin stared at what was inside as Hamoni unwrapped her wound. Rin watched closely as Hamoni cleaned and re-bandaged the wound.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Rin asked when she saw the wound.

"Not as much as someone using the hilt of a blade to hit it." Hamoni told her, her eyes cutting towards Sesshomaru.

She swore there was a slight grin on the demon's face. The jerk! Done with her side wound Hamoni turned to her wrist where a burn from Sesshomaru's poison whip sat.

"What happened there?" Rin asked.

"Why do you not guess." Hamoni told her.

Hamoni watched as Rin actually put a lot of thought into it, her face contorting as she thought. Hamoni couldn't help the soft smile that fell on her face as she watched Rin. She just couldn't help it. Hamoni had always had a naturally weak spot for children. It was like every motherly instinct in her body came to life when she was around children.

Sesshomaru looked over at Hamoni, shocked by the soft, gentle look on the girl's face. It was completely opposite of the expression she showed him. For a human woman, she wasn't that bad looking when she had that kind of expression.

"You needn't think so hard, Rin." Hamoni told the child, petting her head.

Rin looked up at her and gave her a smile back.

"It is just a burn. Something that is easily treated." Hamoni told her.

Sesshomaru was slightly surprised that Hamoni didn't flat out tell Rin that he had caused the burn. Rin watched Hamoni treat the burn and bandage it. She even got to tie the bandage for Hamoni.

"You are so skilled, Miss Hamoni!" Rin praised.

"Hmph! Anyone can apply a bandage, you silly child!" Jaken remarked making Hamoni and Rin look up at him.

Jaken was knocked off his feet when Hamoni's dead-on aim landed him with a fist sized rock to the head. The imp demon cursed as he rubbed at the bump now rising from his head.

"She is not silly, so leave her be." Hamoni told Jaken before turning back to Rin.

"Where I come from I was being trained to be a healer. Treating wounds it part of what I do." Hamoni told Rin. Rin's face lit up.

"Can you teach me!?" she asked.

Hamoni blinked in surprise. She was hoping not to be with Sesshomaru and his companions for long, but while she was with them it didn't hurt to teach Rin some things she could use when hurt or sick. It might even be something she would really need since her companions were all demons and didn't usually need medical treatment themselves.

"I do not see why not. A growing human girl with only demons as companions should know how to care for her own injuries." Hamoni told her.

Rin grinned brightly at Hamoni before climbing in the older girls lap so that Hamoni could show her the herbs she kept and which ones would be good for what.

Sesshomaru watched the two human females. Already he was becoming more and more interested with Hamoni. Though she was his captive, she really didn't show any fear. She didn't even act like a captive. Sesshomaru was probably more curious then he should be but it was what it was. He would let Inuyasha and his friends suffer a few more days of searching for the girl before he let them know that it was him who had taken her. Maybe by then Sesshomaru would have dealt with his curiosity.

Maybe.

END

Kyandi: Jaken just can't catch a break.

Hamoni: If he wasn't so rude, I would not have thrown it at him.

Kyandi: That's always your excuse.

Hamoni: It works, now does it not?

Kyandi: True. Alright everyone enjoy and review.

Hamoni: We will be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	5. At Ends

Kyandi: I'm back!

Hamoni: We apologize for taking so long.

Kyandi: I had to go back to watch a few episodes to put together this chapter.

Hamoni: So do not be surprised if it reminds you of an episode.

Kyandi: With that in mind we'll go ahead and let you read this chapter.

Hamoni: So please enjoy and review.

Kyandi: I do not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 5 At Ends

"Miss Hamoni!" If it wasn't for that one voice, Hamoni might have been extremely annoyed at the moment. Then again who wouldn't be annoyed when they had been taken captive by a dog demon with a superiority complex?

But she couldn't really hold onto her annoyance when she looked down at the brightly smiling human child running her way. Rin threw her thin arms around Hamoni's waist when she reached the older girl. Really if it wasn't for Rin, Hamoni would have remained in a foul mood all day.

Not that it would have gotten her anywhere. As it was Sesshomaru was keeping a good eye on her and had even kept her sword, which he now wore at his belt with his Tesseiga. "Rin, if you run into people like that, you're going to knock them over." Hamoni told the child with a smile on her face. Rin smiled brightly at her. "Look what I found!" Rin said holding up a beautiful white flower.

"That's very beautiful, Rin." Hamoni told her taking the flower from the child. "Its the same color as my lord's hair!" Rin pointed out cheerfully. Sesshomaru would have missed the glance she fired his way if he hadn't been watching her interact with the child. Hamoni handed the flower back to Rin.

"I suppose it is." was all Hamoni said. Rin looked up at the young human, confused by the sudden change in the air around Hamoni. "Here Rin, let me do this." Hamoni toyed with Rin's hair for a moment, taking the flower from her hand before stepping back. She had tucked the white flower, safely into Rin's hair.

"There you do." Hamoni told the child, giving her a smile, though it was clear she was still unhappy. Rin happily took off ahead of the others, dancing now that she had the flower in her hair.

Jaken ran off after her, keeping an eye on the child so not to get scolded by Sesshomaru. Hamoni kept at her normal pace, keeping enough distance between her and Sesshomaru that she could watchi him, without being far enough out of reach that Sesshomaru felt the need to rein her in.

Silence fell over the two, Hamoni refusing to say anything to Sesshomaru and Sesshomaru just being the type that just didn't talk all that much to begin with. He did glance back at her now and then. Hamoni was almost always either looking off into the distance or staring at the ground.

He could almost see the gears in her head turning as she thought. She was still trying to find a way to get her sword back from him and get away without being caught again. He wouldn't allow it but it didn't make it any less amusing to watch her try to come up with a way.

When the two taller members of the group caught up with Jaken and Rin they had found the remains of a slain demon on the ground. "Who could have done this!?" Jaken was asking in shock as he looked upon the demon.

Hamoni was wondering the same, but Sesshomaru answered that question. "Inuyasha." Sesshomaru said making Hamoni look up. "Inuyasha did this, although I rather doubt he was able to escape unscathe." Sesshomaru told his underlings as he walked up to the head of the dead demon, seizing it by a horn and heaving it over his shoulder.

Hamoni on the other hand was thinking. When Sesshomaru lift the head, Rin started squealing in a high pitch scream. For the most part Sesshomaru ignored Rin's continuous squeals. Hamoni wasn't even paying attention. She as thinking more of her friends.

Inuyasha had slain the demon but if Sesshomaru was right and he had been hurt Hamoni couldn't help but wondering how the others were doing. Inuyasha was more then likely alright, but if he had been injured she couldn't help but wonder if the others had been too.

Hamoni was snapped out of her thoughts when she was suddenly nudged into walking by Sesshomaru. "Come with me." he ordered, continuing on with the demon's head. "We are talking the head?" Jaken asked curiously.

Hamoni was curious as well but Sesshomaru didn't enlighten them. Instead he addressed another problem. "Enough of that. Stop it, Rin." he said over his shoulder, the young girl instantly stopping her squealing with a "Yes my lord!".

Hamoni was made to continue following Sesshomaru. She didn't know why he was taking the head of the demon, but she was sure whatever the reason, she wouldn't like it.

But the liked the scenery they started to pass, even less. They left Rin and A-uh the two headed dragon, behind before they entered a desolant waste land filled with poisonous gases, bubbling acidic tar, and the bones of demons long dead.

Despite the clear poison in the air, Sesshomaru made her follow him, refusing to leave her with only Rin and A-uh to watch her. In Hamoni's opinion, the place was horrid and she was horrorified when they came across a small hut where someone actually lived.

Of course she wasn't surprised when that person turned out to be a demon. It truly was a living enviroment for demons. When they entered the hut, the demon man looked them over. "Who are you?" he asked. "You are Kaijinbo, I take it. The demon that forged too many deviant swords and was banished by his master, Totosai." Sesshomaru said looking down at the demon.

Hamoni looked at the demon. Totosai? She hadn't met the old demon but she had been told of the demon who had forged Tensaiga. "Totosai, you say. The sound of his name is still enough to make my blood boil." Kaijinbo remarked.

Hamoni watched from the door way as Sesshomaru threw the demon head down on the floor infront of the demon blacksmith. "How about it Kaijinbo? I would have you forge a sword for me using the fangs of this demon." Sesshomaru told him.

Kaijinbo examined the demon head placed before him. "Don't take me for a fool. I can not make a sword from something that is already dead." Kaijinbo told Sesshomaru. This lead the white haired dog demon to draw his Tesseiga.

Hamoni watched in interest as Sesshomaru brought the demon's head back to life. Kaijinbo was amazed. "The demon's head has come back to life!" he exclaimed. "Allow me to explain something Kaijinbo. This sword, the Tesseiga, was forge by the same master that banished you some time ago." Sesshomaru told the other demon.

"And the fangs of the demon I have laid before you has broken the blade of Tensaiga, a sword that was also forged by Totosai." he added.

At this Hamoni looked up in shock. The Tensaiga had been broken!? And now Sesshomaru wanted a sword made from the same fangs that had broken the sword, so he could beat Inuyasha. Hamoni wish she had some way of warning her friends.

But as it stood she couldn't and she had more pressing matters at hand anyhow. By the time they left Kaijinbo's hut and headed back, the poison in the air was starting to get to Hamoni and it was making it hard to breath for her.

She clamped a hand over her mouth and nose even though she knew it would do nothing to filter out the poison. It was at a time like this that she wished she had sleeves. The material though it wouldn't last for long, would go a good ways to helping her breath until they left the area.

But she didn't have sleeves and it was taking all of her focus to keep walking straight. Since her focus was considerably split she didn't notice Sesshomaru at her side until he wrapped his arm around her, using his sleeve to cover her mouth and nose.

Hamoni's back went rim-rod straight and her eyes shot to him, but he didn't even look at her, let alone move away. As it was, the way he had wrapped his arm around her shoulders so he could cover her mouth and nose, ended up pulling her closer to him.

Any other girl would have been naive enough to see it as an act of compassion or caring. But Hamoni was no fool. She knew perfectly well that Sesshomaru held no caring or compassion for her. He did it merely so she wouldn't pass out or die on him.

A completely pointless gesture in her opinion. She didn't need it in the least. Even if it had been made out of true concern for her well being, she wouldn't accept it. She took a deep enough breath of the now filtered air before she slipped an arm between his arm and her, knocking his arm aside and stepping out of his partical embrace and away from him.

Sesshomaru turned a look on her as she dug in her bag for a moment. It was clear she was holding her breath, trying not to breath in the air around her.

Finding what she was looking for, she pulled a folded piece of cloth from her bag before closing the bag and slipping it back back on her shoulder. He could smell the cloth from where he stood. It carried a sickly sweet scent that seemed to make even Hamoni's nose wrinkle in dislike.

And yet she was still going to use it. He watched as she then pressed the cloth to her face, covering her mouth and nose. She let out the breath she had been holding then, breathing through the cloth. Sesshomaru felt rather offended.

She had chosen a piece of cloth that carried a scent displeasing to her nose, over the offer of his own sleeve. She should have felt honored that he would even offer it. And yet she didn't seem to care in the least.

She wouldn't even look at him. It was highly disrespectful. Well if she wanted to be that way then she could suffer from the poisonous air. It would be of her own fault and choice if she passed out from the poison she was breathing in. Might serve her right if she did. It didn't even cross his mind that maybe...she just really disliked him.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Miss Hamoni, are you alright?" Rin peered at Hamoni who was silently coughing into her handkerchief, her face whiter then normal behind the loose strands of black hair that fell around her. She looked sick and she kind of was.

Though it wouldn't be life threatening, the poison had gotten to her and every breath in came as a slight weeze. "I'm fine, Rin." Hamoni told the younger human. "It will pass soon enough." she added, though Rin didn't look convinced.

"It is your own fault, you silly girl! And after Lord Sesshomaru offered you the honor to use his sleeve." Jaken remarked shaking a finger in Hamoni's face. Hamoni turned a sharp look on the imp, her look saying loud and clear that if he did not get his finger out of her face and be quiet, she was going to hit him again.

Jaken seeing the look that he saw so often on Sesshomaru's face, on the face of this girl, backed away quickly. It was creepy how much his Lord Sesshomaru and this young human woman had in common.

When he was, what he deemed, a safe distance from the girl he turned to her. "If you die, it is of your own doing, silly girl!" Jaken snapped at her. Of course Jaken hadn't accounted for the throwing arm on the young woman.

He was knocked off his feet when one of her boots hit him square between the eyes. Hamoni knew it was her own fault for not taking the offered sleeve but it was no honor and she didn't need to hear this from Jaken. She turned away from Jaken, fighting back another fit of silent coughs while Rin fetched her boot for her.

"Thank you Rin." Hamoni told the young girl, giving her a soft smile as she accepted her boot back and put it back on. The thing wouldn't last much longer with all the walking and traveling she was doing in them. Too much more of the walking, through mud and water and everything else, and her boots would fall apart. But she would set that aside for now.

"Rin, hand me my bag, please." Hamoni told the child. Rin came back to Hamoni with the bag in hand and set it down in front of her. Hamoni pulled her kit out of the bag and started digging through the tackle box like kit.

Rin watched, curiously as she sat a small stone bowl with a stone handle inside down on the ground before opening bags and small boxes pulling out leaves or vials of liquids which she saw out as well. Jaken, too, watched but from a distance.

Even Sesshomaru cracked an eye open at the smell of strong herbs. All three watched as Hamoni sat aside the handkerchief long enough to start mixing the herbs and herbial mixtures from the vials into the bowl.

She crushed and mixed it all together before pouring the juices of what was left into a water bottle she had sitting beside her and that was half full of water. That done she closed the bottle and gave it a good shake, mixing it all together.

Sesshomaru opened both eyes to watch as there was a faint, soft blue glow from the tools and the herbs. Those mixed into the bottled water, turned the water a lime green, but even that let off a pale blue glow. Was that her spiritual abilities strengthening the effects of the herbs she was using.

She paused long enough to cover another coughing fit. When that passed she downed the water/herbal mixture, until the bottle was empty. All three watching were shocked as Hamoni's coloring improved and the coughs faded away into nothing.

Hamoni cleared her throat as she closed the bottle and started cleaning her things and putting them away. "That is better." she remarked. Rin's face lit up. "That was wonderful, Miss Hamoni! You are very good with those herbs!" Rin told her.

Hamoni shook her head. "It was just a simple mixture of White sage and a few other herbs to purge the toxins from my system and sooth the cough away." Hamoni told her.

Rin gushed over this, demanding that Hamoni explain it all to her. Sesshomaru on the other hand just sat there and watched the girls. His interest had been sparked by the blue glow that had come from anything she touched as she had mixed the medical mixture.

Perhaps her purification powers went beyond what she could do when wielding a sword. It seemed they also gave her the ability of healing. Even if she had used fresh, strong herbs they shouldn't have worked as fast as they had.

It was definitely of her own abilities. And she didn't even seem to notice it. But even if that was the case, Sesshomaru highly doubted that her healing abilities would go too far until she learned to use and control them. He would just have to watch and see. Simple as that.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

Amused, yet horrorified. Hamoni found the two emotions battling for top in her as she looked down at sliced in half form of Jaken on the floor of Kaijinbo's hut. She had, once again, found herself having to accompany Sesshomaru back through the poisoned waste lands to Kaijinbo's hut after Jaken failed to return.

This time she had her handkerchief ready and pressed over her nose and mouth. Just in case she had made another bottle of the water/herbal mixture. And what should they find when they arrived? Jaken, cut in half and Kaijinbo no where to be found.

"This must be the work of Kaijinbo." Sesshomaru said simply as he looked down at his fallen follower. Hamoni found it a bit amusing that he had gone through the trouble of collecting the head of the demon for making the sword only for the sword maker to take the sword, kill Jaken, and disappear. Served him right.

"Ironic is it not? You commission him to make a sword to defeat your brother and instead he takes it, kills your follower, and leaves." Hamoni remarked. Sesshomaru shot her a look over his shoulder but he wasn't about to let her bait him at the moment.

Instead he turned his attention back to Jaken and drew his Tesseiga. Hamoni watched as life returned to Jaken's eyes and he blinked before moving. "I'm alive, but how can that be? I was sure I had been drawn in half." Jaken said before noticing that he was still cut in half.

"That is disturbing." Hamoni remarked lowly as she looked down at the demon. "Lets go, Jaken." Sesshomaru told the imp. "Pull yourself together quickly." he added as he sheathed Tesseiga. "My lord! Is it possible that you revived me with your Tesseiga?" Jaken asked in wonder.

"Who other is capable of bring someone back from the dead?" was Sesshomaru almost sarcastic remark. "A witch, a sorceress, some demons, anyone else with an object that carries a similar ability as the Tesseiga." Hamoni remarked.

Sesshomaru turned to her then. He reached out grabbing a long piece of her hair. With that he yanked her forward, towards him. "You would do well to hold your tongue." he told her, looking down into her pale blue-grey stare.

Hamoni turned his stare with her own hard stare, but didn't say a word. Sesshomaru turned then to Jaken, though he refused to release her hair. "Has Kaijinbo finished my sword?" Sesshomaru asked. "Yes, my lord, Sesshomaru. He has forged a sword from the fangs of the slain demon." Jaken told him.

Hamoni tried to step back away from Sesshomaru but his grip on her hair was firm and would not budge. She was growing a little annoyed with this but she wouldn't her annoyance get the best of her. She had to be patient.

"But I must add, his eyes have become most fearful. Almost as if...as if he has been possessed by the sword itself." Jaken added. Hamoni looked at Jaken. Possessed by the sword? A sword forged with the fangs of a demon that Inuyasha had killed.

This didn't sound like it was going to be a good thing. For Inuyasha that is. "Seem your all mighty sword has left you behind." Hamoni remarked making those golden yellow eyes flicker to her, but he didn't seem to really be paying attention to her.

"Hmm...interesting." with that little statement, Hamoni was forced to turn and follow Sesshomaru back out of the hut, as he lead her out by her hair. When was he going to let go of her hair? She didn't care why he was still holding it but she was not going to be lead around by her hair.

Hamoni came to a stop, grabbing her hair and yanking, trying to pull it out of his grip. When he felt the resistance on the other end of the hair in his hand, he stopped and turned to look back at the young woman at the other end of the hair.

The fiery, glare being aimed his way showed her displeasure, even when her impassive face didn't. "Release my hair." she told him, firmly. It actually sounded more like a demand or an order. She was ordering him to do something.

Well, he would release her hair then. Sesshomaru gave a great yank on her hair, sending her stumbling forward. He reached the silky strands of black hair and reached out to grab her by the back of the neck, his long fingers curling around her neck at the base of her skull.

With that grip, he pulled her after him, making her walk at his side. "You are becoming quite irksome." he told her. "Continue to try my patience and it may not bode well for you." he added. "If you harmed me, Inuyasha would never trade Tessaiga for me." Hamoni's words brought Sesshomaru to a stop. He looked down at her clearly a bit surprised she knew.

"Do you honestly believe I did not know why you stole me away?" she said. "I am not as foolish as you seem to believe I am. Now release me." she added. Sesshomaru chose to ignore the blunt order and continued on his way, pulling her with him.

"He will hand over the Tessaiga if he wishes to see you unharmed." Sesshomaru told her. "No he will not." Hamoni replied, sure of her answer. Sesshomaru didn't even look at her or answer. She would see. Inuyasha would give him the Tensaiga in return for her safety.

And even then Sesshomaru might hold on to Hamoni. Just until his curiosity of her was satisfied. But if she kept irritating him like she had been, they might not even make it that far. He certainly would have to do something about her mouth.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

Hamoni was grateful when finally Rin's fire came into view and Sesshomaru released her neck. "Lord Sesshomaru! Miss Hamoni!" Rin said cheerful as she started towards them with a happy laugh, clearly glad to see them.

"Stop Rin. Do not move." Sesshomaru commanded. Rin did as told, stopping in mid step so that she was balanced on one foot. Hamoni scanned the dark land around them, her human eyes not picking out what her senses could.

She could feel what had caught Sesshomaru's attention. The dark aura she felt, felt remarkably similar to that of Naraku's. Hamoni's focus was broken when Sesshomaru leaped from her side, jumping clear over Rin's head and her fire to attack the trees on the other side.

Out of the trees jumped a young, black haired woman in a purple and white kimono with a yellow obi sash. "A woman." Sesshomaru remarked. "I know that scent. She smells much like the odd beast that offered to lend you the severed arm. The demon that deguised himself with the baboon pelt." Jaken said.

Hamoni glanced at Jaken before looking back up at the woman. "Naraku." Hamoni said lowly. This woman really did give her a similar feeling as Naraku did. "His wretched plan took us through hell and back, curse him! Your arm was almost burned off! And I was beaten to a pulp by that monk!" Jaken snapped.

That must have been before Hamoni had followed Kagome through the well. "I recall the scent. It is the same as the beast that attempted to trap one that is known as Naraku." Sesshomaru said, his eyes on the woman.

"So you must be Inuyasha's brother, Sesshomaru. You're very clever." The woman remarked. "I am Kagura, the wind sorceress. An incarnation of Naraku." she added. "An incarnation?" Sesshomaru asked. "Correct. Sesshomaru the fangs that you delivered to Kaijinbo to make your sword were those of a demon called Goshinki. Like me he was also created from Naraku." Kagura said.

That explained the strangely similar feeling Hamoni had gotten from the demon's remains when she had first neared them. "All very interesting. But did you search me out just to tell me this?" Sesshomaru asked her. "Can you not detect it's scent? Tokijin reeks of Goshinki's aura. It is closer then you think." Kagura told him.

Then Kagura's pink-red eyes turned to Hamoni. "Interesting. You look like the young priestess girl that travels with Inuyasha and even wear two shards of the jewel hanging from your ears." Kagura remarked. "You must be the new human that I had heard was traveling with Inuyasha. What has brought you to travel with his brother?" Kagura asked Hamoni.

Sesshomaru turned his eyes to Hamoni who was unfazed by any baiting in Kagura's voice. "Nothing by choice, I assure, but then again, that would be none of your business, now would it be?" Hamoni replied.

Kagura's eyes narrowed though rather in annoyance or in amusement, Hamoni couldn't tell. "I am sure Naraku will be interested to hear of this." With that Kagura took off a top a large feather. "I am not sad to see her leave so soon. I don't believe I have ever seen such an arrogant woman." Jaken remarked then paused before his eyes went to Hamoni.

"Or maybe I stand corrected." Jaken added. Hamoni, then, just happened to drop her large, heavy bag on top of Jaken. "I am not arrogant and have done nothing to even hint at such a trait." Hamoni told him as he struggled to get out from under the bag.

Sesshomaru left the two to their usual banter as he turned back to Rin, who was still frozen on the spot. "Rin, you are free to move now." Sesshomaru told her. "Yes, my lord!" she said cheerfully. Now if only he could get Hamoni to be just as obedient as Rin.

That would solve one of his problems. His eyes turned to Hamoni, who was now staring up at the sky. There was something about the look on her face that made him pause long enough to stare at her. It was easy to tell there was something on her mind.

She was uneasy. She would be even more so when he claimed Tokijin and defeated Inuyasha. Perhaps that was what was making her uneasy. Either way he had a sword to claim and didn't have time to wonder on it.

END

Kyandi: I really do love getting under Sesshomaru's collar.

Hamoni: It is rather easy if you know what to say and do.

Kyandi: I know. That's what makes it fun.

Hamoni: Funny. He looks down on his brother and yet...he has so many similar traits. Like his temper.

Kyandi: Just don't say that to his face.

Hamoni: I already have.

Kyandi: Oh, right...you have. Well everyone enjoy and review.

Hamoni: We will be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	6. Dog Fur Coat

Kyandi: We have come back!

Hamoni: And we bring you another chapter.

Kyandi: You know I just adore it when people leave me reviews tell me how much they love my stories.

Hamoni: It makes you feel giddy?

Kyandi: Considerably so! So when I read my reviews, I just had to jump into writing another chapter.

Hamoni: And here we are.

Kyandi: Right! So everyone enjoy and review.

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 6 Dog Fur Coat

Lightning, skies turned black with storms clouds, riding in on the back of a two headed dragon, one head roaring to announce the arrival of it's master. Sesshomaru couldn't have picked a more flashy way to make an entrance.

At least that was Kagome's thought. Totosai darted behind Inuyasha, hiding out of sight of his older brother. "Sesshomaru. What the hell are you doing here?" Inuyasha asked. Kagome gripped his arm. Did Sesshomaru really have Hamoni?

She glanced around but could see no sign of her sister with Sesshomaru. "Just what I would ask you. I have merely come for the sword. It seems that the demon you killed was so bitter that it desired revenge even after it's remains were forged into a sword." Sesshomaru remarked. "How does he know that Tokijin was forge from Goshinki's fangs?" Sango asked. "It must mean that..." Sesshomaru cut Miroku off.

"I was the one that commissioned Kaijinbo to make this sword." Sesshomaru confirmed. "Sesshomaru you must not touch Tokijin. Even you will be possessed by the sword's evil aura. Heed my warning I implore you." Totosai called to the other demon.

Sesshomaru though, did not listen. He simply walked up to the sword, taking it by the hilt without a moment's pause. "Pathetic fool. Just who do you take me for?" Sesshomaru asked holding up the sword. Inuyasha and his friends watched as the evil aura around the sword vanished in the presence of Sesshomaru.

"The evil aura was over taken by Sesshomaru. I don't care much for him." Totosai remarked. "Hmm, I see the sword has chosen me as it's master." Sesshomaru said more to himself. He then turned his gaze on his brother.

"Draw your sword, Inuyasha. There is something I wish to verify." Sesshomaru demanded. "With pleasure but first...where's Hamoni!? You reek of her!" Inuyasha declared.

Sesshomaru didn't even bat an eyelash. He would think he smelled of the girl. He had kept her close enough recently that even he could smell her on himself. "She is...unharmed." Sesshomaru replied. Kagome's grip on Inuyasha's sleeve tightened.

"So you did take my sister!" she exclaimed. "Give her back, Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha snapped at his brother. "I will verify what I wish and then you will hand over the Tensaiga to me in exchanged for the girl." Sesshomaru told Inuyasha.

"Not a chance!" Inuyasha exclaimed instantly. "Inuyasha! That's my sister!" Kagome said, tugging on his sleeve. "We don't even know if he has her still, Kagome. Just because he smells of her doesn't mean he has her." Inuyasha told Kagome lowly.

Even though he spoke lowly, Sesshomaru could still hear him. Perhaps he should have brought Hamoni with him instead of leaving her as he had. Though it was bound to be amusing when he returned to her. She wasn't too awfully pleased with the way he had left her.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Argh! I swear, I will skin that dog and make a fur coat." Hamoni couldn't possibly be any more irritated then she was at the very moment. She really would skin Sesshomaru alive if given the chance for leaving her he way he had.

He had decided that taking her with him would be too much of a risk of Inuyasha finding a way to take her back, but nor could he leave her with Rin accompanied, least Hamoni run away then. So he had gone with a third choice.

One that she was hating now. He had left her at a half way point between where he had left Rin and wherever he was going. To ensure that she would stay in said location, he had strung her up a tree...literally.

Hamoni's hands were bound together and pulled far above her head, the rope tied to a tree limb above her head. Her feet barely touched the ground. It made her arms hurt and managed to make her feel like a piece of meat hung from a hook.

To mask her scent and hide her for the short amount of time he planned to be gone, he had wrapped her in his mokomoko-sama long enough to rub his scent off on her. His version of scent marking. Something she didn't like either.

If he thought he had problems with her before he was going to have even more when he came back. He wasn't going to get away with leaving her hanging from a tree, covered in his scent. At least if he was going to tie her up, he could have at least done so where she could sit and not have her arms nearly pulled out of socket.

"I really hate that man!" she snapped to herself as she tugged on the roppe again, but it didn't budge. If he had wanted to make her lose her temper, then he had succeeded.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"You do not believe I have her." Sesshomaru stated more then asked. "Then let this prove it." he added pulling a sword from his belt and holding it up for Inuyasha and his friends to see. Kagome gasped when her eyes landed on the sword.

"That's Yukubo no ken, Hamoni's sword!" Kagome exclaimed. "Inuyasha!" she added looking at the half demon who grit his teeth. Hamoni would have never let anyone lay their hand on that sword other then herself.

That Sesshomaru had it meant that either he had Hamoni or she was dead. Inuyasha highly doubted the second one. "Now draw your sword little brother." Sesshomaru told him, slipping the Yukubo no ken back on his belt.

"Don't do it Inuyasha." Kagome told him. "Will you leg go of me." Inuyasha replied. "Do you honest believe you can defeat him?" Totosai asked. "I can't exactly tell him to come back when I'm done training." Inuyasha replied.

"Precisely. Come at me little brother." Sesshomaru told him. "I'll make it easy. I shall come for you." he added when Inuyasha didn't make a single motion to move. He darted forward, ready to attack Inuyasha, who darted forward to do the same.

"You're going to regret this Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha declared as he drew his sword. But Inuyasha's mind seemed to become side tracked from there. Sesshomaru took that moment to attack, making Inuyasha resort to just merely blocking the attack which in itself was almost too much for him to handle.

"Aw, damn it to hell." Inuyasha snapped to himself as he got back to his feet. Sesshomaru himself had a bit of a sidetracked mind. Inuyasha's scent was clearly that of a half demon and yet when they had found Goshinki's remains, the scent had been that of a full demon. Something had changed, transformed and Sesshomaru wanted to witness it for himself.

"What, have you altered your combat strategy?" Sesshomaru asked Inuyasha who had not moved to attack him since blocking his last attack. "Usually you charge at me blindly with great haste." Sesshomaru remarked.

"Heh! Whatever you say." Inuyasha said raising his sword and doing just that...charging forward blindly, wielding a sword too heavy for him to use freely. Sesshomaru was able to easily block the attack and through that finally realized what it was that made Inuyasha hesitate in attacking him. Tensaiga was heavier.

"Ah! Tensaiga has become heavier, I see." Sesshomaru remarked much to Inuyasha's displeasure. "Its a lot heavier, you stupid jackass!" Inuyasha snapped at his brother, much to _**his**_ displeasure. Now they were both displeased and even.

"The sword is too heavy for you." Sesshomaru remarked, adding pressure as he pressed forward with his own blade. "You are better off without it!" Sesshomaru declared before knocking Tensaiga clear out of Inuyasha's hands and even knocking Inuyasha backwards off his feet.

"Damn it all!" Inuyasha snapped. "Master Inuyasha, hurry and take hold of Tensaiga!" Myoga declared appearing on Inuyasha's shoulder. "You again, Myoga?" Inuyasha asked clearly annoyed with the flea. Inuyasaha glanced at his sword and then at his brother.

Tensaiga was too heavy to wield. He would be killed if he continued to try. He would just be better off with his claws and fangs alone. "Don't need it!" Inuyasha declared at last before charging towards Sesshomaru again, ignoring the protest of his friends.

Sesshomaru was unimpressed. He simply pointed Tokijin at Inuyasha, knocking back his half brother with the power of the sword alone. Inuyasha landed in a crouched position, inwardly calling his brother a bastard.

"I have seen all that I need to see." Sesshomaru said pointing Tokijin at Inuyasha once more, ready to need this battle. He charged his brother, seeking to land the final blow. "Die!" Sesshomaru exclaimed. "Look out Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled to his friend.

In that moment, when he knew Sesshomaru would kill him, Inuyasha transformed, his demon nature taking over once more. Sesshomaru was shocked when Inuyasha's scent suddenly changed once more. When Inuyasha lifted his head it was no longer the golden eyes of his half demon brother that looked at Sesshomaru, but the red eyes of a full demon, ready to seek blood, even if it was his own brother's.

But before Sesshomaru could reach Inuyasha, Totosai intervened, shooting a line of flames between the brothers and blocking Sesshomaru's way to Inuyasha. Sesshomaru heard a cry of "Sit!" before hearing Inuyasha's head smack the ground.

He peered through the flames and barely made out Inuyasha's friends carrying the unconscious half demon away. Sesshomaru stood there, watching the flames as they died away, not even attempting to follow his brother and his friends.

Jaken joined him as the flames finally died. "But my lord, what did you not go after him? He was in the palm of your hands." Jaken said looking up at his master. But Sesshomaru did not reply. "Master Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked.

But Sesshomaru was lost his thoughts, cursing Inuyasha. '_To think that he made me, Sesshomaru, tremble with fear for even a moment. Inuyasha, in that instant..._' Sesshomaru's thoughts trailed off. He would have to seek information as to Inuyasha's transformation. But for now he had to return and collect Hamoni. "Come, Jaken. Let us go." Sesshomaru declared.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

Sesshomaru knew he was near Hamoni before he ever saw her. Her scent had started to emerge from his scent that he had left on her. That and he could basically smell the anger rolling off the young human women before he got to her.

She was clearly displeased with the way he had left her and her face showed her displeasure when he finally came into sight. He had to admit it was an amusing sight to see her hanging from the tree, a look of barely hidden anger on her face.

He imagined the injury on her side would be aching by how and that would also add to her anger. When he stepped into her line of sight, her eyes narrowed and he could hear the knuckles of her hands crack as she clenched her hands into fist.

He was going to receive grief from her for this, but the sight before him was well worth it. "Ha! That is exactly where you belong, woman!" Jaken remarked upon seeing Hamoni. He walked up to her, poking her in the stomach with his staff.

"You disrespectful human!" he told her. Hamoni's reply? A solid kick across the face, hard enough to send him flying across the clearing.

She clearly was not in the mood to have anything resembling patience with the small imp demon. Seeing how she couldn't kick or hit Sesshomaru and do any damage she had done so to the first person to annoy her.

And that always seemed to be Jaken. "It would seem you will remain in my hand for now." Sesshomaru remarked as he walked up to her. Hamoni's eyes snapped to him. "I told you he would not trade the Tensaiga for me. You were a fool for even trying." Hamoni told him.

Sesshomaru's hand snapped out. For moment Hamoni thought he would strike her as he did to Jaken when he annoyed him, but he simply grabbed her chin. "You are the fool for continuing to testing my patience. Soon I will no longer have use of you and then you should be grateful if I do not kill you." he told her.

With that he cut her down from the tree. Before her knees could give after the extended period of time of hanging from the tree, he grabbed her by one arm and hauled her after him.

The first few steps she stumbled but she refused to be dragged behind him like a rag doll. Before she could question him, he pulled her to him, hauling her up off her feet. Hamoni was about to protest when he deposited her on A-uh's back.

The two headed dragon looked back at her, but Hamoni was looking at Sesshomaru instead. "Do not fall off." Sesshomaru told her, as he cut the rope still died around her wrist. Hamoni rubbed her wrist. Each wrist was bruised where the rope had started to cut into her wrist.

Sesshomaru reached out, grabbing a strand full of her hair and tugging to pull her attention back to him. It seemed he enjoyed tugging on her hair. "Treat those. I will not care for you if they worsen." he told her, meaning her wrist.

With that he turned away and started walking. Jaken fell into step behind him, A-uh's reins in hand. Hamoni looked up at Sesshomaru's back. She didn't get the demon. Not one bit. One minute he was mean and rude and the next he was almost...nice. Leave it to a demon to confuse her. Well...it could be worse.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Miss Hamoni, Miss Hamoni! I'm hungry. Lets go find food!" Sesshomaru looked up as Rin danced around Hamoni, tugging on the girl's clothes. Hamoni laid a hand, the wrist bandaged, on Rin's head and gave the child a smile.

"Alright, Rin. There is a river near by. We might be able to catch some fish." Hamoni told Rin, who cheered. Sesshomaru watched the two as they headed for the river, wading into the water, to catch some fish. Sesshomaru's eyes though landed on Hamoni, looking her over.

Her clothes, in the time she had been his captive, had begun to rip and tear. Even her footwear was falling apart. She would patch up her clothing now and then with a needle and thread, but that would only last so long.

She would need more clothing before long. The only part of her clothing that remained perfect fine, were the knee high socks she usually wore under her boots. But Hamoni wouldn't complain in the least.

"Jaken." Sesshomaru called. The small imp demon came to his side. "Yes my lord?" Jaken asked looking up at him. "Keep an eye on them." Sesshomaru told Jaken before turning to leave. Jaken stared after his master, confused.

Usually when Sesshomaru left, he dragged Hamoni after him. This time he was leaving the human woman in Jaken's care. "How strange." Jaken remarked before turning to watch the two human females from among the trees.

Hamoni was focused on helping Rin catch fish and hadn't noticed Sesshomaru leave. Rin seemed to be having fun, catching a fish now and then and throwing it up on the bank next to Hamoni's boots and socks. Hamoni sat on a boulder, her feet hanging in the water, and watched the young girl.

"Rin." she called making the young girl look up at her. "Why do you, a human, stay with a demon like Sesshomaru?" Hamoni asked.

Rin blinked at her in confusion. "Lord Sesshomaru saved me." Rin told her. Hamoni blinked in surprise. "He did?" she asked. Rin nodded eagerly. "When wolves attacked me, my lord saved me using his Tesseiga!" Rin told her.

Hamoni was...shocked to say the least. Sesshomaru had actually saved a human child and even let her travel with him afterward. "I see. So since he saved you, you feel you must follow him." Hamoni remarked. Rin smiled at her brightly.

Hamoni didn't like the idea of a human child following someone like Sesshomaru around, but she could understand why Rin had. "But what about your family? Would your parents not be worried?" Hamoni asked.

At this Rin's face turned sad and Hamoni regretted saying anything. Rin didn't need to tell her for Hamoni to know that her family was dead. "I apologize Rin. I should not have asked." Hamoni said.

Rin shook her head. "It's fine because I have Lord Sesshomaru and Master Jaken, and A-uh! And now you too, Miss Hamoni!" Rin said cheerfully. Hamoni felt a pang in her heart. Rin was so honestly sweet that it made her want to hug the child.

Rin latching on to her shirt, drew Hamoni's attention to the child once more. "You won't leave, will you Miss Hamoni?" Rin asked looking up at Hamoni with big eyes. Hamoni stared at her in surprise before her expression softened and she gave her a smile. Hamoni laid a hand on Rin's head.

"Not any time soon, Rin. I am sure I will be here for a long while to come." Hamoni told the child, making her smile. Rin danced around in the water for a moment making Hamoni laugh. She sat there on the boulder watching as the young girl danced around in the water, laughing. She really had always had a soft spot for children. It was her one greatest weakness.

"Well would you look what we have here." Snickering and men's voices drove Hamoni to her feet and caused Rin to pause in her dancing. Across the shallow river from them, dirty and splattered in blood, were human male bandits, eight in total.

All eight had grinned when they looked Hamoni and Rin over. Rin ran to Hamoni, wrapping small arms around Hamoni. It was easy to tell that the child was scared. Hamoni was uneasy herself. "A woman and child, all alone out here. Something might happen." one man snickered as they splashed into the river, heading for Hamoni and Rin.

Hamoni knew what they had in mind and she was not going to allow it to happen. "Rin, go find Jaken. Hurry!" Hamoni told the child. Rin took off at a run. Two of the men tried to follow her but Hamoni picked up fist sized rocks and started throwing them.

The first hit one of the men between the eyes, making him fall back unconscious. The other caught the second man on the chin, making him curse.

"Leave her be!" Hamoni demanded, another rock ready in her hand. The men all turned on Hamoni. "Fiesty litlte thing, isn't she?" one remarked as he started her way. Hamoni threw the rock, hitting him in the cheek. Before she could grab another rock the leader of the men grabbed her by the hair, almost yanking her off her feet.

"Don't worry, we'll break you soon enough." he said. But Hamoni wasn't that defenseless. Leather armor could take the blow of a lot of hits, but Hamoni knew where to hit. She raised one arm over her head and jammed her elbow down on the man's exposed collar bones, as hard as she could.

The man howled in pain, releasing her hair. Hamoni took that chance to swing a foot up into the side of his knee, hard. She felt as well as heard the snap of bones that sent the man crashing into the water with an even louder howl of pain. "Why you little...!" More of the men attacked Hamoni but she refused to be bullied.

Hamoni slipped under the arm of one man, grabbing him by the straps of his armor on his back and using that to send him slamming head first into a pile of boulders on the rive side. But it was then that the men out numbered her, ganging up on her.

One grabbed her around her neck, cutting off air as well as trapping her. "You are going to wish you had not done that woman." he snapped at her, pressing a blade under her chin. The smell coming off the man was enough to make her want to gag.

But that wasn't her main issue. It wasn't that hard to figure out what these men wanted from her. What else did bandits want from women usually? She wasn't stupid and she wasn't going to have it either. The men chuckled, reaching for her, Hamoni kicking at them whenever they got near.

"Stop moving!" one snapped at her. He reached for her legs, but never reached her before he was cut to shreds. Two more of the men followed him, their remains falling into the water.

The remaining men started panicking but nothing they could do, stopped their deaths. With only three remaining, they tried for retreating, the man dragging Hamoni with him. But his foot slipped as his last two remaining comrades were cut down.

As he slipped Hamoni felt, more then saw something fly past her ripping the arm of the man holding her to shreads. The man was forced to release her with a howl of pain. Hamoni fell back, panicking for a moment when she couldn't regain her balance.

She braced herself to hitting the ground and water, but never did, as an arm wrapped around her, pulling her against a firm chest. Hamoni blinked in surprise, for a moment not recognizing the white collar with the white and red cherry blossom crest before her.

Then she looked up when she did recognize it, looking into the yellow gaze of Sesshomaru. The man had his arm wrapped firmly around her, holding her to his side. He looked her over, apparently checking her for injuries.

Satisfied that she was well and in one piece, he turned his gaze back to the man who was howling about having lost his arm. "Feel grateful I will let you live. Perhaps next time you will not touch what is not your's." Sesshomaru told the man before turning to walk away from the site, pulling Hamoni with him.

Rin and Jaken waited on the bank with A-uh, Rin having gathered the fish they caught as well as Hamoni's things. "Miss Hamoni!" Rin cried in joy at seeing Hamoni unharmed. She would have run to the older human woman, but Sesshomaru had yet to release Hamoni, even now that they stood on the bank of the river.

He held her to his side as he lead the way down the river, away from the site, until they were a good distance to stop. Once stop Sesshomaru turned his gaze on her. Before Hamoni could say anything Sesshomaru stepped back from her for a moment, lifting her chin and looking her over.

Aside from a small cut on the neck from the blade the man had pressed there, she was unharmed, but she did have blood on her from the men. Sesshomaru had been surprised to find that she had taken the men on by herself and had even taken down a few of them before he had arrived. She was strong indeed. At least against humans.

"Clean yourself, then use this." Sesshomaru told her, letting go of her and handing her wrapped bundle. With that Sesshomaru walked off, leaving her beside the river with Rin and A-uh, as Jaken followed him into the trees.

"Miss Hamoni, are you alright?" Rin's question snapped Hamoni out of her surprised state. She looked down at the little girl before setting the bundle a top a boulder. She knelled down to put herself on level with Rin.

"I am fine. Are you alright?" she asked the little girl. Rin nodded. "Good." Hamoni said. With that Hamoni, with A-uh, actually as a shield for prying eyes, removed her shirt and shorts and started watching dirt and blood from her skin.

Rin sat on a boulder and kept an eye out. "Miss Hamoni, what is this?" Rin asked picking up the bundle. "I do not know." Hamoni replied as she used soap from her back to scrub her skin.

"You can open it if you want." Hamoni added. Rin did just that. A small "Oh!" drew Hamoni's attention to Rin. Rin was holding, in her hands, a dark blue _hitoe_ of a traditional miko outfit. "It is new clothes, Miss Hamoni." Rin said.

Hamoni, now done washing, joined Rin looking into the bundle. Indeed it was new clothing. Hamoni used a towel from her bag to dry herself before pulling out the clothes and dressing. The _hitoe_ was dark blue with cherry blossoms across the end of the sleeves.

The _hakama_ was black and cut short so that it fell just above her knees. The same red-pink of cherry blossoms, was the color of the long obi sash, that, even when tied, would still hang down much like Sesshomaru's.

The whole thing fit her perfectly, like it had been made to fit her. There were even shoes in the bundle that were ankle high boots much like the one Sesshomaru himself wore.

Once dressed, Hamoni looked the outfit over, turning this way and that. It was all new and fit her well. Sesshomaru had actually went and got such a thing for her. "It is pretty, Miss Hamoni!" Rin said looking at Hamoni.

Hamoni guessed she was right. It was pretty and competely took Hamoni off guard. Why would Sesshomaru get her such a thing when he did not like her and she was nothing more then his captive, meant to be traded for something he wanted.

Sesshomaru, himself, didn't know why he felt the need to do it. Perhaps because he could not stand to see her in such tattered clothing in his presence anymore. Whatever the reason, he had gotten the clothing for her, not even really knowing what would fit or what would look the best on her.

Apparently though he had chosen right. When Rin, A-uh, and Hamoni joined Jaken and Sesshomaru in a clearing away from the river, Sesshomaru looked up at the young woman.

The outfit fit her perfectly and looked lovely. The blue of the outfit managed to make the blue of her eyes stand out even more. It was feminine without being too much so. It was perfect for the woman who wore it. Hamoni sat down a few from him, beside the fire to help Rin with the fish.

She never glanced his way and didn't say anything to him. Sesshomaru hadn't really expected anything from her, anyhow. After all she didn't like him anymore then he liked her. But it would seem that whatever force there was out there, loved to surprise him and make him even more interested in the woman he had taken captive.

"Thank you." Sesshomaru looked up at the young woman as she worked. She didn't look at him but he knew that had been directed at him. He couldn't help the grin that curved his lips. So even she knew when to be grateful.

That was a surprise. Hamoni might have thanked him but...that still didn't change the fact that he had strung her up in a tree and left her. He was still going to get grief for it.

END

Kyandi: There were points in this chapter where I had to stop and laugh.

Hamoni: You made your brother peer into your room and look at you like you were a crazy person.

Kyandi: Yeah, he sometimes wonders if I am.

Hamoni: Are you?

Kyandi: Possibly. But that is beside the point. Everyone please enjoy and review.

Hamoni: We will be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	7. Captured Again

Kyandi: Howdy hey, howdy do!

Hamoni: Keep it up and a chicken will get you.

Kyandi: That's not funny, even if it does rhymes.

Hamoni: I thought it was pretty fun.

Kyandi: Goody for you. Anyway, sorry we've been away so long. I'm currently having my brother type all my updates.

Kyandi's brother: Kyandi-nee broke her wrist and is currently swamped with work.

Kyandi: It sucks! But that's off topic. We're here now so enjoy and review!

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 7 Captured Again

"You disrespectful woman!"

Hamoni would have ignored this, if it wasn't the tenth or eleventh time she had heard that sentence in the course of one day.

"Give it a rest already." Hamoni told Jaken planting her foot on his back and using that to shove him over the edge of the cliff.

The imp demon landed on a ledge just three feet below but that didn't spare him the near heart attack he suffered at the mere thought of falling hundreds of feet to the forest below. If anything the relief made it worse when he realized that Hamoni had done it on purpose. When he climbed back over the edge, Hamoni didn't seem the least bit remorseful as she walked beside A-uh, petting one of the dragon's heads.

"Are you alright, Master Jaken?" Rin asked from A-uh's back.

"No I am not alright, you silly girl! She nearly gave me a heart attack!" Jaken snapped.

"Technically to give you a heart attack the fright would have to be greater and your heart weaker. Since neither was the case, your heart is fine." Hamoni remarked over her shoulder.

Jaken stared at the girl before following them, continuing to rant about Hamoni. Sesshomaru glanced at Hamoni as the girl pet A-Uh's head...well one of them. Since he had saved her from those bandits a few days before hand, she hadn't said a word to him. Sassy or otherwise. He would have wondered if she had lost the ability to speak if she hadn't spoken to Rin and Jaken. So apparently she was just unwilling to say anything to him.

"Miss Hamoni, is this right?"

Hamoni looked up at Rin who sat on A-Uh's back mixing something in a stone bowl. Hamoni took the bowl from Rin and looked at its contents. She rubbed some of the paste inside between two fingers, dabbed a tiny bit on her tongue, smelled it, and used the rod to turn it over and check it.

"That is perfect, Rin!" Hamoni told the little girl who's face lit up.

Hamoni had been teaching Rin how to mix herbs for multiple things from injuries to fevers, to coughs, and so on. Rin had been struggling a little bit with some of the mixtures but she had finally picked up on it. It certainly had been keeping Rin busy as they traveled. Over the last few days Rin had stuck to Hamoni like glue.

Sesshomaru had a feeling that after the incident with the bandits, Rin was afraid something would happen where he couldn't show up in time and she would lose Hamoni. He didn't think that would ever be the case. Hamoni had handled herself well with the bandits and had held out long enough for him to arrive. That didn't make Rin any less worried though.

Sesshomaru watched to two for a moment longer before looking up at the sky. It was starting to get dark. Hamoni and Rin would need somewhere to rest soon. After two days walking and resting on A-Uh's back, the two, as well as A-Uh, needed a place to actually sleep. But being on a mountain trail there wasn't really anywhere for them to rest.

Sesshomaru paused at a cliff, looking down at the land below them. They had left the forest behind and the land before them was open fields on one side, and more forest on the other. A large river cut through the trees and wove it's way through the open fields. The tree line would give them cover and with the river near by Rin and Hamoni could find something to eat.

Without a warning, Sesshomaru slipped his arm around Hamoni, before jumping from the cliff. It was faster to take his way down, instead of walking down. Shocked by the sudden grab-and-jump, Hamoni grabbed the nearest thing, which meant she wrapped her arms around Sesshomaru's neck. Behind him Jaken and Rin rode A-Uh after him as Sesshomaru headed down the mountain side. Sesshomaru glanced out of the side of his eyes as Hamoni wrapped her arms around his neck to keep from falling.

When she did this, it put her hair right under his nose. Sesshomaru's nose was filled with the smell of herbs, fruit, and grass. Her scent was a somewhat sweet smelling one but not too strong for his nose to take. He would definitely be able to follow it anywhere. Living another five hundred years, he doubted he would be able to forget it either. It was her scent that had made it easy to track her when she had tried to escape back when he had first captured her.

When Sesshomaru finally landed on the ground, placing Hamoni back on her feet, she turned her head, possibly to shoot him a glare or a sharp remark, but she paused when she found him looking down at her, his face just a mere inch or two from hers. Her eyes met his and quicker then he had ever seen a human move, she released his neck and forced her way out of his grip. Sesshomaru could see the light pink coloring of her cheeks as she walked away from him.

Before she could get too far away from him, he reached out grabbing the end of her hair to stop her. He tugged on the hair, giving her a silent order to stay put. Idly he took note of the soft, silky feeling of her hair as it slid through his fingers. Why he noticed that didn't even crossed his mind. But the tug on her hair, didn't go unnoticed and she shot him a hard look before pulling her hair out of his grip.

She might have slapped him if she thought she could actually land the hit.

She was obviously not grateful for being swept off her feet either. Quite literally at that. Sesshomaru didn't care. He hadn't dropped her so she should be grateful.

Sesshomaru and the brief scare he gave her, were soon forgotten as Hamoni and Rin got their dinner made and ate before it got too dark. Grateful at least to be able to lay down and sleep and not have to doze on A-Uh's back, Hamoni pulled out the sleeping roll she kept in her pack and unrolled it. As usual, Rin curled up in the sleeping roll with Hamoni and A-Uh laid down next to them, shielding them from wind. Jaken had even fallen asleep, leaning against A-Uh at the head of the girls' bedroll.

Sesshomaru remained awake, watching his sleeping companions. Looking at Rin curled up in Hamoni's arms, using one of the older girl's arms as a pillow, Sesshomaru could almost believe that they were mother and daughter. Or at least sisters. They did both share the same hair color. From afar anyone could confuse them as being related. It was up close that others could tell the differences.

Sesshomaru's eyes fell on Hamoni's sleeping face then.

It was amusing to him. The first couple of days, Hamoni refused to sleep with him around. It was almost like she thought he would try to eat her while she slept or something of that nature. Instead she would doze while riding A-Uh. Now she had no problem of sleeping with him near.

Had her opinion of him changed in the time she had been with him?

And she was sleeping so near to him now. If he just reached out, he could touch her. In fact, one long strand of her hair was brushing his leg. Sesshomaru picked it up, letting the silky strands play through his fingers. He would have never been able to touch her hair freely like this when she was awake. She would have snatched it from his hand and shot him a glare.

And truthfully he would normally never be this intrigued by the feel of a woman's hair. It was odd that it caught his attention now.

Sesshomaru sat there for a while, just staring off into the sky, running the hair through his fingers. He knew he should get some rest while he could too. In the morning Rin would be up, running about as she normally did with Hamoni just a few steps behind. Then they would be off once again. So with that thought in mind, he leaned back against the tree behind him and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow would be another day of traveling and even being a demon, he needed his rest.

\- 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 -

"Miss Hamoni? Miss Hamoni?"

Rin tugged on Hamoni's sleeve, looking up at the other human who was staring off into the distance. Sesshomaru and Jaken paused and turned to look at Hamoni when she failed to answer the human at her side. Hamoni's eyes were fixed on something in the distance. When Sesshomaru turned and searched the land that stretched before him, he could not find what had caught the human woman's interest.

"Miss Hamoni, what is it?" Rin asked. Hamoni's eyes narrowed.

"This aura..."

Sesshomaru turned back to Hamoni when she spoke lowly.

"This is definitely _**his**_ aura." Hamoni remarked.

"Who's?" Rin asked.

"Naraku."

At this Sesshomaru turned fully to face Hamoni.

"This is not actually his aura, but it could be one of his incarnations. No...there's two of them." Hamoni remarked.

"Where?" Sesshomaru asked.

Hamoni pointed, not really noticing or caring that she had just answered him. Usually she stubbornly refused to answer him.

"Past those trees." she remarked before thinking about who she was talking too.

Sesshomaru, in an instant was gone from their sides as he jumped towards the trees, raising his hand to attack the trees with claws extended. From the trees jumped Kagura with a smaller, white haired girl behind her. Hamoni moved in front of Rin, blocking her from the two, Jaken standing at her side with A-Uh.

"My, you picked us out so easily." Kagura said looking at Sesshomaru before her red eyes turned to Hamoni herself.

Hamoni knew she was in for trouble just by the look on the woman's face. All she needed was to see the flash of Kagura's fan to scoop up Rin and, to his protest, Jaken, and run. She barely managed to move them before the blades of wind hit the ground where the three had just been standing. The force, knocked Hamoni off her feet and sent her tumbling onto her right side, but she didn't release Rin or Jaken. A-Uh had moved out of the way too and now landed beside Hamoni.

Sesshomaru turned to look up at Hamoni and her two arm loads who were a little wind blown but otherwise unharmed. Rin was holding tight to Hamoni and Jaken hung from the young woman's arms, completely surprised that Hamoni had just saved him. But Sesshomaru didn't have time to wonder why Hamoni had saved the imp demon when she clearly disliked him.

With Kagura's next attack, he stepped into the line of fire. Hamoni though, was back on her feet, holding on tight to Jaken and Rin, and keeping herself between them and Kagura.

"I am not here to fight with you, Sesshomaru." Kagura told the dog demon.

Sesshomaru turned to glance at Hamoni, who was all eyes for the other woman. He was aware that the young human woman was the sorceress' target. Hamoni seemed to have figure this out as well. It wasn't hard to tell. Sesshomaru could see the knowledge in Hamoni's eyes. Naraku wanted Hamoni, but Sesshomaru wouldn't hand her over. He need her as well.

He didn't know why Naraku wanted the girl, but he didn't need to know. Sesshomaru turned on Kagura, engaging her in battle. Hamoni, by this point, had set Jaken and Rin down, the imp demon and A-Uh standing guard over them.

"Rin."

Rin looked up at Hamoni knelled in front of her and removed her earrings. Hamoni took Rin's hand in hers, sitting the earrings in Rin's hand and curling her fingers over the jewels.

"I want you to keep these safe and out of sight of everyone else. Don't even let Jaken or Sesshomaru, or even A-Uh know you have these. That woman wants them and I can't let her get her hands on them." Hamoni told the child in a low voice only for her ears. Rin stared wide eyed at her.

"Understand?" Hamoni asked.

Rin nodded. Hamoni gave a firm nod and released Rin's hand. If things went bad, Rin would have the jewel shards and Sesshomaru would protect them, believing he was was protecting solely Rin.

Hamoni got back to her feet and turned to find Kagura swooping towards her, having slipped past Sesshomaru. Hamoni shoved Rin out of the way and jumped out of Kagura's way, heading the opposite way from the way she had pushed Rin. She hit the ground rolling and came easily to her feet, facing the woman sitting a top of large feather. The other, white haired, girl had vanished from sight.

"You certainly are hard to catch." Kagura remarked.

Hamoni shoved her hair out of her face with one hand.

"I have decent reflexes for a human. Are your's well, as well? Shall we find out?" Hamoni asked.

Kagura caught onto her meaning in time to dodge Sesshomaru's attack to her back. Hamoni pulled her bag off her shoulder and started digging in one of the smaller, front pouches, her eyes never leaving Kagura. She found exactly what she was looking for just as Kagura took a swiping dive at her again, knocking her off her feet and scooping her up on the feather. Hamoni dropped her bag in the process.

Hamoni took a moment to correct herself, now finding herself thirty feet in the air, with only a feather and air between her and the hard ground below. Hamoni had never been afraid of heights, but she figured now would be a good time to start.

Hamoni turned her sharp, blue-grey eyes on Kagura. Without warning, Hamoni lunged at the other woman, wielding a small blade in her left hand. If she didn't lose it, Sesshomaru would probably take it from her as well. Which was why she had kept it hidden all this time. She had simply just been buying her time, but now seemed like a good a time as any to use it. She had already been taken hostage by one demon.

She didn't need to be taken hostage by a second one.

Kagura yanked back but the purifying aura around the blade still cut deep into her right shoulder. Kagura pulled so far back that she upset the balance of the feather, sending Hamoni tumbling to the side and off the feather altogether. Hamoni caught a tree limb in her hand, halting her fall half way down and was able to drop safely the rest of the way to land on her feet.

When she landed she took a deep, shaky but grateful breath in. She had been lucky to catch the branch as she fell.

Kagura looked down at Hamoni, who turned a displeased but otherwise calm look on Kagura. Sesshomaru was impressed to say the least and intrigued at the same time. This whole time Hamoni had hidden the weapon on her and hadn't used it. Then, in the face of danger, she had acted without hesitating against an opponent who, by natural order, was stronger.

Kagura though, seemed to be determined not to let the girl slip through her fingers. She would prove that Hamoni's escape had been a fluke. This time when she snapped open her fan, Hamoni didn't move fast enough. She was human after all. No did Sesshomaru reach Hamoni in time. A powerful gust of wind sent Hamoni flying back into a large boulder, a crack sounding as Hamoni's head connected with stone, and knocked her out.

The girl slumped to the ground lifelessly.

"Miss Hamoni!" Ran cried in distress.

Kagura swooped down to collect her prize but Sesshomaru's attack forced her away from the unconscious human. Kagura drew back and sent up a gust strong enough to force Sesshomaru to shield his eyes. When it died down enough for him to see, Hamoni was gone.

Sesshomaru looked up in time to see Kagura take off, Hamoni's lifeless form draped over the feather next to Kagura and Kana sitting on the other side of the girl. Sesshomaru wasn't happy with this at all.

"Jaken, stay with Rin." Sesshomaru ordered before taking off, following Kagura's feather.

Kagura looked back over her shoulder at him. He was sure persistent on reclaiming a human woman he didn't even to like.

Oh well.

Kagura had her orders to follow and that was taking this human to Naraku. Kagura glanced down at the woman laid out beside her. She really did look quite a bit like the priestess Kikyo and the human woman, Kagome. Her long hair fell around her and tumbled over the side of the feather. Part of it was starting to take on a red shine from blood on the back of her head. That would have to be seen to so the girl wouldn't die on them.

Kagura was sure that Naraku wouldn't be happy if the human girl died.

Kagura had to swoop out of the way when Sesshomaru tried to strike her feather down. She was going to have to lose him somehow. How better then a distraction.

"Kana." Kagura said looking at the smaller demon.

The white haired demon pulled out one of Naraku's Ninjiki balls from the fold of her sleeve. She threw it over the side of the feather, the thing exploding into hundreds of the demon bugs which then swarmed Sesshomaru. They wouldn't last long against the dog demon but they would do the job.

Sesshomaru slashed at the bugs, but more swarmed him, blocking his view of the three females on the feather. When he finally slashed his way through the last of the bugs, Kagura and Kana, with Hamoni in their clutches, were gone. Even the demons' scents was shredded by the wind. That being said...

The smell of Hamoni's blood was thick and sickly sweet in the air. He would be able to follow that scent to the ends of the earth and beyond. First he needed to return to Rin, Jaken, and A-uh.

When he rejoined his companions he found Jaken trying to calm a crying Rin. The little girl was so caught up in her tears that she failed to notice Sesshomaru's arrival, as she normally would have.

"Oh, my Lord! I cannot get her to stop." Jaken said, seeing Sesshomaru approach.

Sesshomaru looked down at the little girl who had her hands clutched around something that she held to her chest.

"Rin."

His soft calling made the girl fall silent, though tears still fell from her eyes. She looked up at him, sniffling.

"You will remain her with Jaken and I will go to retrieve her." Sesshomaru ordered.

Rin's eyes grew wide before a delighted smile lie her face. She gave an eager nod. It was then that Sesshomaru's eyes locked on to the girl's hands.

"Rin. What are you holding?" Sesshomaru asked.

Rin's grip on the object tightened and she bent herself over her hands to hind them.

"I can't tell you, my Lord." Sesshomaru was shocked by this.

Rin had never hid something from him before.

"Let me see, Rin." Sesshomaru ordered. To his further surprise, Rin shook her head.

"I can't, my Lord." she said.

"You insolent, little girl! Lord Sesshomaru gave you an o-"

Sesshomaru cut Jaken off before he could really get going.

"Jaken." he said in warning. Jaken fell silent while Sesshomaru knelled to be on level with Rin.

"Why can you not?" Sesshomaru asked, now curious.

"Miss Hamoni made me promise. She said no one can know that I have them, my lord. She said that woman wanted them." Rin told him.

Sesshomaru had a good idea what was in the little girl's hands. He held his hand out, a pointed look telling Rin to let him. Rin, looking crest fallen, opened her hands to show him. Sure enough, nestled in the cradle of her hands, was Hamoni's earrings made from shards of the Sacred Jewel.

So Hamoni had given them to the girl to keep them out of Kagura's grasp, knowing Sesshomaru would protect Rin over her. She had even made Rin promise to keep them hidden. But Sesshomaru couldn't leave them with the child. They would attract all kinds of demons without Hamoni's spiritual presence to hide them.

Sesshomaru figured it was the woman's spiritual abilities that had kept them hidden. Other wise demons would have been after them left and right.

"I must take them, Rin. Only she can hide them from others." Sesshomaru told the girl.

Rin debated for only a second before dropping the earrings in his open hand. Sesshomaru tucked them away and stood. Now he had to go and find the human woman and punish her not only for getting caught but for making Rin try to keep something from him.

She was turning out to be a troublesome human.

-0-0-0-0-

Hamoni wanted nothing more then to curse, but that wasn't her. As it was, coming to she groaned because of the pain in the back of her head. She had definitely cracked her head hard. She was almost tempted to continue laying where she was and not open her eyes. But then she noticed that her hands were bound together.

That wasn't a good sign in the least.

If she was still with Sesshomaru, her hands wouldn't be bound and she would hear Rin chattering in the background. At the moment she couldn't hear a thing. Now she had to open her eyes.

Hamoni forced her heavy lids to rise and found herself lying on her side in a semi-dark room lit only by a single torch on the opposite wall from where she lay. Her hands were bound together with steel shackles and chained to a wall. There was no way she was getting out of them. Had it been rope she could have eventually twisted her way out, but not with metal shackles.

Hamoni pushed herself up into a sitting position and looked around. She was in a small room with a barred window over her head and a thin, sliding, screen door that was far out of her reach. She could tell from the lack of light on the other side of the screen that it didn't lead outside. She could see the full moon through the window and had the door led outside, the moon light would be shining through the screen. This meant that she was in a room that was part of a larger building. Now the question was...

Where was that building?

She would have to get out of the room first to figure that out. Hamoni shifted, placing her feet on the wall, where the chains were connected, and heaved as hard as she could, hoping the wall or chains weren't very secure. Sadly that wasn't the case. Neither would budge a single inch.

"That will not work."

Hamoni leaned her head back to look at Kagura upside down. The other woman stood in the doorway watching her.

"Never hurts to try. Thank you, by the way, for the horrid headache I have now." Hamoni retorted.

Kagura simply watched her from over her fan as Hamoni settled herself into a sitting position. It seemed people from this ear didn't understand sarcasm very well. Hamoni was about to ask a question when the door opened again. Kagura instantly backed away from the door and the young man standing there.

"Well it is nice to finally meet you, young priestess." he remarked.

"I am not a priestess and I assume you are the infamous Naraku I have been told so much about." Hamoni replied.

A smile, that was awfully close to a wicked smirk, curved his lips. He ignored the comment as he neared her.

"You are the sister of the young priestess that currently travels with the half-breed Inuyasha." he stated rather then asked as he knelled next to her. Hamoni watched him closely.

"And now you travel with Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru." he added.

"I assure you it is not by choice." Hamoni replied. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him.

"Not that it is of any of your concern." she added.

Hamoni bit back a gasp of shock and pain as he suddenly, and roughly, seized her by the chin. The feel of his fingers on her skin made her skin crawl more then Sesshomaru's did. She realized that where Sesshomaru's firm touch rose goosebumps on her skin, Naraku's painful grip made her stomach turn.

That was warning enough on which one of them was the bigger threat to her.

"You look very much like Kikyo as well. Perhaps more so then your sister. She lacks the mature air, Kikyo and you have. And you have Kikyo's bold, strong will as well." Naraku said, staring at her.

Hamoni's eyes flashed with the beginnings of her temper stirring. She didn't like it when people grabbed her like that. She liked this man even less. She was suddenly missing Sesshomaru's company. At least he didn't touch her like this for no reason.

"Remove your hand." Hamoni said slowly.

Naraku's smile grew but that fell from his face and he yanked his hand back as a soft, blue glow surrounded Hamoni.

"I do not like to be touched. I have had an arrogant, annoying, narcissistic, dog demon yanking me about for days now." Hamoni told him, the glow growing stronger and brighter with each word.

"So do not touch me!" she finished.

By this point Naraku had to back away from her. Her abilities were certainly just as strong as Kikyo's and even if it was unconsciously, she was able to surround herself like a barrier with the purification aura. He would not be able to touch her like that.

Naraku put his smirk back into place as he looked at her.

"You will not be able to hold that barrier for long. You are unpracticed." he informed her.

Hamoni knew that. She didn't even know how she had made it to began with, but she figured if she held on to her anger and need to protect herself from his touch, she could keep it in place for a short while. She didn't want to think about after that.

"Now, where are the jewel shards you wore in your ears?" he asked.

One corner of Hamoni's mouth quirked up in a sort of half smirk. She was half tempted to tell him, "Up your butt." but that was childish and would get her no where.

"Somewhere you will never find them. Even if you do, you won't get them. I knew what she was after when she came after me." Hamoni replied.

Naraku eyed her. That face, stern in it's defiance, really was so much Kikyo's. But the fierce fire burning in her icy blue eyes was completely different. She would not let herself be pushed around so easily. He was sure she gave Sesshomaru a couple of problems.

"We shall see. I will come to see you again." Naraku said simply as he got to his feet and left, leaving Kagura behind.

Kagura looked at Hamoni who had still not let her barrier fall. Or perhaps she didn't know how to release it.

"He will find them." Kaguar told her. Hamoni's sharp eyes turned on her.

"Even if he does, he will never get them. I am not so idiotic as to leave them where they could be easily obtained. He will have a fight for them that he will surely lose." Hamoni replied.

Kagura looked her over once more. It was easy to tell that she and Kagome were sisters. Neither knew the meaning of 'give up'. Kagura was sure Hamoni would hold on to her brave front to the bitter end.

"For your sake...pray you are right." Kagura told her before leaving, sliding the door close behind her.

Hamoni let her stiff back and shoulders loosen. She sagged a bit and heaved a low sigh. She really did hope she was right. If Sesshomaru didn't protect Rin then next time Hamoni saw him, she would slap him as hard as she could.

END

Kyandi: Ohhh! Hamoni's Mommy Instinct has been awaken!

Hamoni: Oh hush it.

Kyandi's brother: You're one to talk Kyandi-nee.

Kyandi: It's different for me.

Kyandi's brother: If you say so.

Kyandi: I do, so everyone enjoy and review.

Kyandi's brother: We'll be back soon.

Hamoni: Farewell!


	8. Rescuing Reward

Kyandi: Hey everyone! Long time no see!

Hamoni: We have a new chapter for you.

Kyandi: Yeah, sorry everyone. It took me a while to find the spiral I had written the chapters in.

Hamoni: But she found it.

Kyandi: Right, and now I have a lot of typing to do.

Hamoni: Then shall we move on?

Kyandi: Yep. Everyone enjoy and review!

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 8 Rescuing Reward

_'It's growing weaker_.'

Sesshomaru glanced over the land before him. He had followed Hamoni's scent back to the castle that Naraku was now holding her in. Naraku had moved her several times, leading to a chase that spanned days. Whenever Sesshomaru ever got close, Naraku would move Hamoni. It was rather annoying to Sesshomaru, to say the least.

Though he had found where she was, her scent was starting to fade.

It could have been for any number of reasons. It could have been form the thick cloud of miasma that surrounded the building or because Naraku was purposely trying to hide her, scent and all, masking her with the scent of low class demons. Then again...it could also be because she was dead. Sesshomaru instantly pushed that thought from his head.

Hamoni was too stubborn to die.

And Sesshomaru was pretty sure that Naraku had not sent Kagura to capture the human just so he could kill her. He wanted something from Hamoni. Something more then just the jewel shards. Of course that lead to the question of "what". What could Hamoni have that Naraku would want? Unless he sought to use her abilities, Sesshomaru couldn't think of anything else.

Well...he could but he highly doubted Naraku wanted Hamoni for anything along the lines of the second thought he had.

Sesshomaru pushed that thought from his head instantly.

For now he had to focus on retrieving Hamoni. Naraku was not going to make it easy after going through the trouble of sending Kagura to capture the girl. Sesshomaru smelled the air once more.

What fleeting bit of her scent he could smell was definitely coming from the castle. As the miasma shifted more of her scent would slip free. It was not going to be enough to lead him straight to her but it wouldn't be that hard to find her once inside. And if he came across Naraku while in there, he would be sure to spare Inuyasha the trouble of finishing the half demon.

But only because Naraku tried using him once.

It was not because he took Hamoni.

Certainly not!

Sesshomaru just couldn't stand someone taking something that was his.

-0-0-0-0-

"Not that I really care, but what does this accomplish?"

Kagura looked at Hamoni from across the room as she spoke. The young human woman looked awful. It had been nine days since her capture and they had moved her several times. Aside from when she had first arrived, Hamoni had not slept a wink. She had dozed, but the moment she had started to really fall asleep and her shield had started to weaken, she had snapped back awake.

This had put deep, bruising, dark circles under her pretty blue-grey eyes. But that was not all. Sitting before Hamoni was a tray of food that had long since grown cold. It had been the girl's lunch, but like every meal before it, Hamoni had not touched a single bite of it. The lack of food was only making her weaker which was clear by the slowly decreasing strength of the blue barrier around her.

Hamoni looked up at Kagura, her steely eyes, hard. She still was clearly unhappy. Not that Kagura could really blame her.

"What does it matter. For all I know there could be anything in that food. Poison, a drug. I will not take my chances." Hamoni replied.

It was a legitimate concern when one had been taken prisoner. Hamoni would not take a single thing from them. Kagura found herself wondering idly if Sesshomaru had had this much trouble from the stubborn girl. After having dealt with Hamoni for nine days, Kagura was pretty sure the answer was yes.

Hamoni didn't seem like the kind of person to hold back on smarting off, no matter who the person was she was talking to. It was amusing, and yet annoying, at the same time.

"You will only grow weaker until you die." Kagura told her.

"Good. Then I can't be used by that master of your's." Hamoni retorted.

Kagura heaved a sigh. Part of her admired the girl for her guts, another part of her was amused with the trouble she was causing Naraku, but the last part was annoyed by her stubbornness. But Kagura knew that arguing with Hamoni over how starving herself was only harming herself more, would be pointless. Hamoni seemed pretty hard headed, so she simply picked up the old tray of food.

"Do as you like. You are only harming yourself." Kagura told her before turning and leaving.

Hamoni heaved a sigh, sagging back against the wall. She knew Kagura was right and many times she had been tempted to eat something, but Hamoni had heard enough about Naraku to know not to trust him to not put something in the food. The hallow growling in her stomach had hit her fiercely the first day and had nagged at her for a few days after that. It was starting to die down a little, but just thinking about it made her dizzy.

When Kagura was gone, Hamoni let her eyes drift close. The lack of food made her so tired and it was hard to fight sleep. Especially after so long without any decent sleep. She knew, before her body started shutting down, that she could no longer fight off sleep. Leaning against the wall, Hamoni slipped into a deep sleep and was lost to the conscious world.

-0-0-0-0-

Sesshomaru didn't bother trying to hide his presence as he entered the castle. He had only one goal in mind and that was to find and take back Hamoni. He didn't charge in like Inuyasha would have, but he had no reason to try to sneak in. He could defeat any of the low class demons that served Naraku.

Once inside the castle, Sesshomaru picked up a stronger trace of Hamoni's scent. It led him to the far reaches of the castle, where a barrier sat around a single room. Though the barrier might have stopped some demons, Sesshomaru wasn't most demons. He shattered the barrier and stepped inside the room.

There he found Hamoni, but in the nine days they had been apart, it looked like she had been through hell. The young human was leaning against the far wall, her hands shackled to the wall.

If it wasn't for the slight rise and fall of her chest and the soft sound of her breathing, Sesshomaru might have through her dead. It appeared she had managed to keep demons away from her in the form of a rapidly fading, blue barrier that was just barely clinging to her. It was waved away entirely as Sesshomaru approached her and knelled beside her.

Hamoni looked as if she had not ate a single thing since she had been taken from him. Her skin had grown pale and sickly in color and was starting to look a little taunt over her bones. There were black circles under her eyes and she just looked lifeless. In the time that she had been out of his care, her condition had deteriorated greatly.

Naraku obviously didn't know how to take care of a single girl.

When Sesshomaru broke the shackles and removed them from her wrists, he found the wrists chapped, the skin caked with dry blood. She had obviously not been passive in her capture. She had fought against the shackles every inch of the way.

Sesshomaru turned one of her small hands over in his. It was dirty, the nails broken with bits of dirt and cracked stone under them. A look at the wall where the shackles were connected showed him scratch marks. She had tested the stones, attacked the wall, trying to get free. There was only so much a human could do, especially when it was clear she had not ate, but that she had tried, had never stopped fighting, showed how much true strength of will she had.

Though it confused him, Sesshomaru felt a bit impressed by her. Sesshomaru brushed her hair aside to look at her face, tilted her chin up. Hamoni didn't move an inch. She just slept on, clearly too tired to move anymore. Rin was going to be upset, seeing Hamoni this way.

Sesshomaru gathered Hamoni in his arm, settling her limp form against his chest. He made it back outside before running into trouble in the shape of Kagura.

"It seems Naraku was right. You did come for the girl." Kagura remarked.

Sesshomaru didn't reply, he simply stared at her. His grip on Hamoni tightened. He wouldn't let Kagura take her from him again.

"I cannot let you take her." Kagura told him.

Sesshomaru didn't feel like dealing with Kagura. He only wanted to get Hamoni back to Rin, Jaken, and Ah-uh.

"Move aside." he told her simply.

"Just going to come, take her back, and leave?"

Naraku's voice drew Sesshomaru's attention to the approaching, dark haired man. It was clear that Naraku wasn't going to let him leave with Hamoni.

"What do you want with her. She does not have the shards of the jewel." Sesshomaru said.

"You believe that is all I want from her? The question is, why do **you** want her? The great Lord Sesshomaru coming to the rescue of a human."

Sesshomaru didn't respond to Naraku's taunt. Instead Sesshomaru sat Hamoni on the ground and turned back to face Naraku, hand on Tokijin's hilt. Kagura stayed back as the two males faced each other, Naraku sending demon after demon at Sesshomaru who cut the demons down easily. The whole time Sesshomaru stayed near Hamoni, not letting Kagura or Naraku near her. He did not feel like having to track her down and rescue her again.

The chance to trade her for Tessaiga was not worth it.

But the more Naraku fought him, the further from Hamoni he was lured. Kagura, though, made no move to collect Hamoni. If anything she just watched from behind her fan. She seemed to be enjoying the sight of Naraku being held off so effectively. Sesshomaru didn't care one way or the other. All he knew was Naraku was a slippery man and it was far easier said then done, hitting the man with any attack.

He may not have hit Naraku, but his castle certainly was not so lucky. Before the fight was anywhere over, half of the castle was reduced to rubble and Kagura had to flee to the sky. Sesshomaru had long since lost track of where he had hid Hamoni, though as the miasma began to clear out, her scent became stronger. It would be easy to find her again.

Then the location of her scent shifted. Sesshomaru turned, thinking Kagura had taken the girl, but the wind sorceress was far over head. In his brief moment of diverted attention, Naraku attacked. Sesshomaru turned back in time to be greeted with a flash of blue light as a dagger suddenly buried itself in Naraku's shoulder. When the flash cleared, Naraku's right shoulder and half his chest was gone. Naraku's eyes turned to a section of the broken castle wall. Sesshomaru's eyes followed his gaze to see Hamoni leaning against the wall, looking dead on her feet. She had another dagger in her hand, her blue colored purification aura dancing around the blade.

"I see I am going to have to leave for today. I will be back." Naraku said looking at Sesshomaru.

With that Naraku vanished into a swarm of demons, Kagura following. Sesshomaru turned to Hamoni as she slid to the ground, the blade falling from her grip and the aura dying. When Sesshomaru stepped up to her side, Hamoni was already out cold again. He certainly had misjudged the girl. She had an iron will to match his own, and a courage to act on it.

Two traits he rarely saw in humans.

He didn't always like it but it never seemed to bother her what he like. He would still punish her for making Rin try to keep secrets but for now, he would let her sleep.

-0-0-0-0-

Come night fall of the second night after retreiving Hamoni, Sesshomaru stopped, deciding he needed rest. Hamoni had yet to awaken again, making the trip thus far, a quiet one. The night had grown very cold and even in her sleep, Hamoni shivered. With no blanket or cloak, she could easily freeze. The best way to keep her warm was to wrap her in his mokomoko and keep her at his side.

Choosing a tree with tall, wide, above ground roots to block wind, Sesshomaru settled down, laying Hamoni against his chest, resting her between his wings. Her head was pillowed on his chest and it was easy to wrap the furry mokomoko around her and pull her close.

Hamoni's sleeping form molded to him, unconsciously huddling closer to the warmth he offered. It wasn't a position Sesshomaru was use to being in but he found that it wasn't a completely uncomfortable one. He looked down at Hamoni's face noting that with all the sleep, the dark circles under her eyes had vanished. She still looked a bit sickly, but that would probably be teh case until she got some food into her system. She would probably continue to be dead weight until then. She, so far, had slept a full day and then some. He would just have to wait and see if she woke up the next day or slept for another.

Sesshomaru leaned his head back, letting his eyes slide close. With his arm protectively-if not a little possessively-wrapped around her, he could feel the steady rise and fall of her chest. She wasn't dead yet. That was good. The girl had an iron will to live, he would give her that much. It shocked him to realize he was a little...proud of her for the amount of strength of will she had shown. Why he felt that way, he couldn't even began to phantom. There was no reason for him to feel that way. He couldn't understand it.

And he wasn't going to try.

For now he would rest and see what the morning brought him. If he was lucky, she would sleep the whole trip back to Rin and Jaken.

If he was lucky.

-0-0-0-0-

Hamoni knew, the moment she started to wake up, that she had to of slept for a while. She was too groggy for it to be anything else but that. But she was warm and comfortable and that made it okay. Compared to how she had felt in the cold, damp cell Naraku had put her in, she was considerably warmer. Then there was the smell. Clean, crisp, like open air, with all the hints of the forest. An earthly smell that put her more at ease with just the touch of male roughness underneath. She was sure she knew this smell She had smelled it on Sesshomaru's sleeve the one time he had tried to help her filter out poisonous gas...

Sesshomaru!

Hamoni's eyes flew open. She was still sleepy but that flew to the back of her mind the moment she identified the smell as being Sesshomaru's scent. When she had really picked up on it and filed it away as being his, she didn't know. But she knew it was his.

If took a moment for her eyes to adjust since it was night and the world around her was dark. The moon shined through the trees around her, allowing her to slowly-and to her great horror-identify the long legs stretched out on either side of her. She followed the white clad limbs up past the yellow and blue obi to the armor covered chest her head had been resting on, to the sleeping face of Sesshomaru. It took every meditating technique she knew to control her breathing and not hop right into hyperventilating. If she hadn't, if she had moved, she would have woken him up instantly.

She would admit...he was rather attractive when sleeping. Majestic even.

That didn't change the fact that she was currently in a position she didn't want to be in.

She was basically draped over him, her head pillowed just over his breast bone and his arm wrapped tightly around her. His mokomoko was wrapped around her, explaining why she felt so warm. Hamoni didn't dare do anything that could make him wake up. That was not a confrontation she wanted to have. It would be best to just go back to sleep and pretend she had never woken up. Then again...he had been a jerk to her.

She could decide to wake him up by trying to slap him. But he would probably wake up the moment she moved and stop her hand before she made contact. She could always claim that she had awoken to the dark and had lashed out on instinct. He might believe that.

Hmm...just maybe...

_Smack!_

Hamoni stared in horror at the red, hand-shaped mark now rising on Sesshomaru's cheek. She had actually managed to hit him! How had she managed it? He had to be more tired than she thought if she could hit him. Even if he was asleep, he was a demon, a high class demon, with very sharp senses. If he wasn't really tired than she would have never landed the hit. Now he was staring down at her, his grip around her tightening until she was being crushed into his chest. She refused to wince or show any pain even though he was about two seconds away from breaking her ribs or something else.

He already thought humans were weak. She wouldn't give him another reason to support that line of thinking.

"You slapped me." he said icily, his grip tightening a fraction more.

Claws bit into her arm, though not enough to pierce skin. Hamoni locked and unlocked her jaw, fighting back a cry of pain.

"It's dark, I just woke up. I didn't know **who** or **what** had a hold of me." she replied.

Sesshomaru didn't look convinced and...he wasn't. He was convinced she had slapped him on purpose. He had just saved her from Naraku and as a thank you gift, she had slapped him in his sleep. His grip tightened even more on her, crushing her fully to him. He felt the creak and groan of her bones under his touch, knew she would bruise from the force of his grip. His gold eyes latched onto her blue-grey ones that shined with defiance. That will of hers was still so obvious.

"You are lying." he accused.

"And you're hurting me. Looks like we both have a reason to be angry." she retorted, still not looking away.

For some strange reason, with him staring at her so intently, Hamoni got the faint, very, **very**, **VERY** faint, impression that he was close to kissing her. She highly doubted it though. Sesshomaru stared at her for a moment, debating on his next course of action. He could break her. It would defeat the purpose of keeping her safe up until that point, but it would teach her a lesson. He could release her, let her decide if she wanted to push her luck. She would probably yank away from him and when he tried to go to sleep, she would probably make a run for it. He didn't feel like chasing her down and to be honest...he was starting to like her scent. It was a pleasant, calming smell.

Warm honey and lavender with the smell of rain underneath. She was slowly developing the smell of grass to her scent too.

Instead of saying anything else, he loosened his grip. Not enough for her to pull away, but enough to where he wasn't hurting her anymore. He stared at her for a moment before settling back and closing his eyes. It was clear she was still weak and tired; her slap had no sting to it.

"Go back to sleep." he told her.

Hamoni stared in surprise. She instantly bristled when she finally registered that he had just ordered her around...again.

"Not until you release me!" she snapped.

Sesshomaru didn't even crack an eyelid, which only made her even angrier.

"No." he refused instantly.

That was when she started trying to slip out of his grip, wiggling against him. Sesshomaru opened his eyes then and looked down at her. She didn't even have the strength to budge his arm in the least. He watched her for a moment before releasing her. Hamoni hadn't even moved an inch when she found herself wrapped from shoulder to waist in the furry white length of his mokomoko It wrapped her tightly enough to keep her arms pinned to her side, but not tight enough to cause discomfort. Sesshomaru leaned back to watch as she tried to free her arms with no success. Finally she heaved an annoyed huff.

"I don't even have the strength to use my purification aura! This is so **aggravating**!" she muttered lowly.

On the last word, she flopped against him, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. Sesshomaru peered down at her, actually a little amused at her frustration. She looked amusing laying against his chest, wrapped in white fur, unable to push herself away from him, and with an annoyed look on her face. She glanced up at him, her annoyance and frustration making her bold.

"What are you staring at?" she asked tartly.

Sesshomaru didn't reply. Instead he leaned back against the tree and closed his eyes once more. His arm came up to wrap loosely around her.

"Just delightful. Now I'm going to smell like a dog."

The remark from Hamoni made Sesshomaru look down at her.

"You heard me right, you arrogant mutt." she told him sharply.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, his amusement gone.

"Not so amused now, are you?" she asked.

Her only reply was a look of anger from him. Not the reaction she thought she'd get but a positive one none the less.

"Good. Now I'm the amused one." she added.

She was just trying to annoy him. He knew that. This time he was not going to raise to the bait. He simply closed his eyes again.

"No comeback?" she asked.

Her reply came in the form of Sesshomaru laying his hand over her eyes.

"Go to sleep." he told her, leaving his hand there.

Since she couldn't removed his hand all she could do was heave an annoyed sigh. He had just saved her from Naraku and she had slapped him and gotten away with it. He had even let her get away with basically insulting him. She suppose, for now, that she could give him a break and do as he said. Just this once. She would be back to giving him hell the next day.

"Fine, sure. Just remove your hand." she remarked.

"No, just sleep." he replied.

If she didn't know better, Hamoni would have sworn she heard humor and a smile in his voice. But she did know better. That wasn't possible.

Right?

END

Kyandi: I'd like to slap him too.

Hamoni: But you like him.

Kyandi: That's beside the point. His arrogance makes me want to slap him.

Hamoni: Then you know how I feel.

Kyandi: Doesn't make me like him any less.

Hamoni:...What am I going to do with you?

Kyandi: Love me, of course! Anyway, everyone enjoy and review!

Hamoni: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye, bye!


	9. Aggravating

Kyandi: Hey everyone! I laughed until I fell out of my chair, while writing this chapter!

Hamoni: I didn't laugh.

Kyandi: I didn't expect you to. It would be mortifying to be in the position you had been in.

Hamoni: Mortifying is one word for it.

Kyandi: But I laughed!

Hamoni: Of course you did. Can we just get this over with?

Kyandi: Right! Everyone, please enjoy and review!

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 9 Aggravating

This was safe, this was safe, this was safe...

Hamoni peered over the side. This was so not safe!

Far below Hamoni the ground spread out, just waiting for her to fall. Hamoni leaned back and shot Sesshomaru's back a glare. To speed up travel, Sesshomaru had decided to rely on the flight abilities he had, using his mokomoko to carry her. Hamoni, who had always had a small fear of heights, was not happy with the choice. But being so high off the ground, all she could do was sit back and try not to look down at the ground.

She reached up, tugging on her ears to try to focus on something other than the ground below. She could feel the jewel shards hanging from her ears again.

Since he had no use for the jewel shards, Sesshomaru had returned them to her. Though he hadn't been too happy about her telling Rin to hide them from him. Not that she had listened to him. With her mind off the ground, she was able to focus her attention on the white fur below her instead. She let her thoughts take her away.

Instead of focusing on the ground far below, she focused on that fur. She wondered, if the mokomoko was part of Sesshomaru, did he feel it when someone touched it or stabbed it? Hamoni ran her hand through the fur, letting the silkiness of the fur slip between her fingers. It was certainly soft that was for sure. She found herself continuing to run her fingers through the fur, sometimes lightly tugging on it.

He had to be able to feel something from it, right? After all the thing was never separated from him and it moved when he wanted it to. It was a part of him. Had to be.

Yet...she got no reaction from the tugging.

What Hamoni didn't know was that Sesshomaru had turned to watch her out of the side of his eyes. He hadn't reacted because truthfully, the feeling of her petting the fur, even with the tugging, was strangely soothing. He had never really let anyone touch the mokomoko the way she was now. It was strange but he wound't say anything to her. As long as she didn't try to stab it or anything, he was fine with allowing her to continue.

And she continued to pet the fur until they came into sight of where Sesshomaru had left Rin, Jaken, and A-Uh. Hamoni heard Rin before they ever landed.

"Miss Hamoni!"

Hamoni, against her better judgment, peered over the side to see Rin waving up at her. Hamoni couldn't help a smile. Before Sesshomaru ever touched the ground, Hamoni jumped from her seat. The action was not a smart one. She landed on her feet, but the sudden movement and lack of food, caused her world to spin as dizziness overtook her.

She swayed before her knees gave out and she fell backwards. Sesshomaru caught her, with his arm around her shoulders and held her tightly to his chest, helping her to walk the rest of the way to the camp Rin and Jaken had made.

Hamoni really didn't want to accept his help, but he didn't give her a choice, dragging her along with him until he could ease her to a seat on the ground by the fire.

"Rin." he said turning to the little girl.

"Yes, my lord?" Rin asked, concerned eyes on Hamoni.

"Fine her food. As much as you can." he ordered.

Rin gave him a "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" before taking off to as told. Sesshomaru turned away from Hamoni, finding himself a tree to sit under. Hamoni watched him but soon Jaken's aggravating chattering drew her attention away from him.

"I can still see straight enough to throw something at you." Hamoni informed the imp.

Jaken instantly shut up.

Hamoni heaved a sigh. As much as she disliked Sesshomaru and Jaken, she still preferred to be there with them rather than locked away in Naraku's castle. Though she would never admit it to either Sesshomaru or Jaken. She would never hear the end of it from Jaken. No, she was just fine keeping her silence. But apparently Jaken couldn't leave well enough alone. He just had to nose into it.

"Should be glad Lord Sesshomaru wasted his precious time to go save you. Who knows what that Naraku fellow would have done to you! Now are you not grateful?" Jaken rambled.

Grateful!?

Hamoni was a **little** bit grateful, but she wasn't going to say so. Instead she lied. It wasn't something she usually did, but she felt spiteful when it came to these two demons. Another thing she didn't usually feel was spiteful, but Sesshomaru brought out the worst in her.

"No, I'm not. If it wasn't for Rin, I would much prefer to be back there." Hamoni retorted, much to Jaken's disbelief and anger.

She didn't even bother to look up from her wrist as Jaken flew into a rage. Sesshomaru had looked up at the girl, but she was looking after her wrist. He, in all honestly, didn't believe Hamoni for a second. She no more wanted to go back to Naraku than Sesshomaru wanted to be stuck with Tenseiga.

"I do not believe you!" Jaken told Hamoni, shaking a finger at her.

Hamoni's eyes snapped to Jaken and the demon put more space between them.

"I don't care if you believe me or not. I have no reason to like being around you and or your master." Hamoni told him.

Sesshomaru didn't even look up at her when she said this. He had no delusions that she liked being around him. Or did he really want her to like being around him.

Rin returned then dragging along four fish and an arm full of berries and edible mushrooms. She placed the food next to Hamoni before bringing her, her bag. Hamoni dug an energy bar out of her bag that she had been keeping for emergencies. This seemed like one to her. She ate that as she gutted the fish, spearing the meat on sticks and placing them over the fire. There were several times when she had to stop because her hands were shaking. She was so hungry that she could have ate the fish raw.

But the mere idea made her sick to her stomach.

While they waited for the mushrooms and fish to finish, Hamoni and Rin snacked on berries. It took all the manners her mother had ever taught her, for Hamoni not to basically inhale her food. Rin only ate one of the fish, leaving the other three to Hamoni. Which she managed to eat all of. As the food settled into her stomach, the shakiness of her hands settled and Hamoni began to feel much better. Of course, that also meant that another wave of drowsiness overcame her. She took the time to bandage her wrist and lay out her sleeping roll, before she climbed in and promptly passed out.

Sesshomaru watched her closely. Her coloring was already starting to a little bit better and the more she ate, the more she would get back to normal. Rin climbed in with Hamoni, gratefully snuggling close to the young woman until, in her sleep, Hamoni had to drape an arm around her. With both human females down for the night, Jaken had nothing else to do but rest himself. Sesshomaru was going to keep a close eye on Hamoni for now on. He was not going to allow her to be taken from him again.

-0-0-0-0-

Sesshomaru had never been more annoyed in his long life. Over the course of four days, several demons had begun to pick up on Hamoni's scent and had some seeking to claim her for themselves. With the young woman still recovering, her spiritual powers were weak. She could barely conjur up a shield. Sesshomaru had to kill more low class demons with each day and he was growing frustrated with the whole thing. He was really starting to wonder if the Tessaiga was worth this.

Each time a demon showed up, it declared it would claim the girl as it's and would attack, trying to carry Hamoni off. To her credit, Hamoni wasn't easy to catch, but Sesshomaru was getting awfully tired of fighting off these weak demons. Finally, he decided to do something about it. Leaving Rin in Jaken's care, Sesshomaru took Hamoni and split off from them. He captured and kept hold of Hamoni's hair, forcing her to stay at his side as he led her through the forest they were currently in.

Hamoni tried, unsuccessfully, to yank her hair free several times. Sesshomaru kept a tight grip on her hair. She had no choice but to follow him.

"Where are we going? And will you release my hair for crying out loud! What is your fascination with my hair anyway?" Hamoni asked, stumbling over a tree root and having her hair yanked when she didn't catch her feet in time to keep up with him.

Finally Sesshomaru had enough. He rounded on Hamoni with speed she could never hope to match, trapping her against a tree. Hamoni gasped in shock as her back hit the tree trunk and reared a fist back instinctively. Sesshomaru's hand dived into the very roots of her hair then, yanking her head back to bare her throat. Hamoni felt adrenaline flood her system as he bared his fangs at her. She had only a fraction of a secon before he clamped those fangs down on her neck.

Hamoni stiffened, letting out a strangled noise as his fangs pierced the skin of her neck. But almost as quickly, she started fighting him, trying to push him away from her. Sesshomaru crowded closer to her, his bigger body pinning her to the tree. She couldn't budge him no matter how hard she tried. With him that close all she could smell was his scent. She didn't know what to do, how to get him away. With her body still recovering and her strength still weak, she couldn't form any kind of sheild. Not that she really knew how to do that again anyway.

And then he released her, stepping back from her.

Hamoni slid down to the ground, her hand flying up to clamp over the bite on her neck. The spot was burning and she could feel blood there. She stared at Sesshomaru as he watched her before turning to her back and digging through it. Out of it she pulled a compact, popping it open to look in the mirror. She removed her hands to reveal fang marks in her neck surrounded by a large purple-blue bruise. It was high enough up on her neck that there would be no hiding it. Blood trickled down from the puncture marks.

A blush had spread over her face as well. She was probably a sight to see, sitting there on the ground, a blush on her face and bite marks and a bruise on her neck. It looked like she had a hickie. **A hickie!** What in the world would she have told her mother or Kagome if they had seen it? Oh yeah, a dog demon lord with a serious attitude problem suddenly gave me a hickie when he doesn't even like me in the smallest bit.

Yeah that would be awesome.

And if the sarcasm wasn't clear, it was there. Along with anger, lots and lots of anger.

"You...**you marked me!?**"

Hamoni's gaze flew back to Sesshomaru and she could swear there was a smug look on Sesshomaru's face as he looked down at her. Which only managed to really annoy her. Her eye twitching, Hamoni snatched up a rock and threw it at him. Sesshomaru batted it away and Hamoni flew to her feet stalking to him like a cat who had just run across another cat on it's turf. She pulled a fist back to punch him. Sesshomaru grabbed the hand before she could and she slapped him with the other.

"You bastard! How **dare** you **mark** me! I'm not your property, you mangy mutt!" she snapped at him.

Sesshomaru did **not** like that. He released her hand, grabbing her by the throat and tilted her head to the side with his thumb. It put her head at an angle that really hurt. His eyes went to marks now on her neck. Any demon that came near her, would see the fang marks and know she belonged to another, but that wasn't the only purpose.

While making the marks, he had gotten close to her, rubbing his scent off on her. Every demon that came within smelling distance of her, would smell his scent on her and know that Sesshomaru had claimed her as his. None of those weak, lower class demons would lay a claw on her now. As long as he kept that mark and his scent on her, they would stop attacking them to try to claim her.

Not that Hamoni saw the genius of his plan, or she would be thanking him, not calling him names.

What she failed to realize was that until Inuyasha handed over his sword for her safe return...she **was** his property. And he never let someone take what was his. Naraku had managed it and that had seriously angered him.

"Until Inuyasha hands over the Tessaiga, you are mine. Meaning I will do with you as I see fit." he told her, his grip on her throat tightening just enough to greatly reduce the amount air getting to her lungs.

Hamoni gripped his wrist and struggled against him, her teeth gritting as she glared at him. Sesshomaru didn't release her. He wasn't going to excuse her behavior.

"You...jerk! Let...me...go..." she hissed.

Sesshomaru stared at her before letting go. Hamoni slid to the ground, sucking in air as she raised a hand to her throat. Between his bite and his strangling grip, her throat had faced more abuse in the last five minutes, then it had in her whole life.

"I do not have to explain myself to you. The mark will stay there for however long you remain with me and you will not try to hide it." he told her.

Hamoni glared at him. She couldn't even begin to discribe her annoyance with him. There was no language on the earth that could come up with a word that could sum up the amount of her annoyance and anger. No word that could perfect describe how much distaste she felt. Oh wait...she did have a word for all of that.

Sesshomaru.

Yeah, that about summed it all up.

-0-0-0-0-

"Miss Hamoni...what happened to your neck?"

Hamoni's eyes twitched. That had been the first thing out of Rin when Hamoni and Sesshomaru finally met back up with the little girl and Jaken. It had instantly made Hamoni's annoyance rocket up another notch and it was already pretty high up as it was. It wasn't that she was annoyed with Rin. Heaven forbid! She could never be annoyed with that sweet, little girl. No, that was saved for the white haired male currently standing behind Hamoni.

"A mangy mutt bit me." Hamoni replied.

Sesshomaru shot her a look, but she simply lift her chin and turned her back on him. Rin looked between the two but couldn't connect the two. Jaken then though and stared with wide eyes between the two. Rin just let it go and went about her usual activities. Jaken looked up at Hamoni, eyes on the mark on her neck.

"You do realize that Lord Sesshomaru did that to protect you from the other demons that have come seeking you." Jaken told her.

"No, he did it to be a complete pain in my side, the jerk." Hamoni replied.

Jaken went on his usual tirade about how Sesshomaru was all great and mighty. How the male was nothing short of perfect. Hamoni was rubbing her temples by the time he came to an end of that tirade.

"Oh he's perfect alright...perfectly aggravating." Hamoni retorted, walking away from Jaken.

Sesshomaru watched this whole thing with amusement. He hadn't been too pleased with the insults she had flung his way, but it had been entertaining to see the effect his marking had on her. Her face had flushed and she had looked so shocked. And then her pale eyes had blazed to life with her anger. He had never met a creature, human or demon, who willingly stood against him. Aside from Inuyasha. None had ever had the courage to storm up to him and hit him like she had.

For some strange, weird reason...he was starting to like her.

END

Kyandi: Hahaha!

Hamoni: Are you going to stop laughing soon?

Kyandi: Hahahahaha!

Hamoni: Seriously, anytime now would be good.

Kyandi: Hahahahahahahaha!

Hamoni: You're turning purple.

Kyandi: I...can't...breathe!

Hamoni: Go figure. Lets just wrap this up.

Kyandi: Enjoy...and review...

Hamoni: We'll be back soon.

Kyandi: Bye!


	10. Tap Dancing on Nerves

Kyandi: Greetings, my lovely readers. So it's been so long. A lot of things have been happening, but I'm back!

Hamoni: She hasn't given up on this story.

Kyandi: Nope! Just planning out what comes next.

Hamoni: She has a lot planned.

Kyandi: Yes, I do!

Hamoni: Then shall we just get on with it so they can read?

Kyandi: Yes we shall! Everyone enjoy and review.

Hamoni: Kyandi-sama does not own Inuyasha.

Chapter 10 Tap Dancing on Nerves

From the time she was young, Hamoni had always seen strange, un-explainable things. Her grandfather had always told her that the powers of their family were strong in her. Kagome and Sota never saw any of it and Hamoni was sure that her grandfather was wrong and she was going crazy. She had hoped, as she got older, that it would fade, go away, and for a while it did. Junior high and high school had been mostly normal. There had been a few cases that had been freaky, but those had been rare and far in-between.

Then she had gone off to college.

It was as if no time had ever passed. Things kept popping up, left and right. At first it had just been a few things that she had seen out of the side of her eyes. A ghostly form or some un-explainable creature. Then it had gotten worse and Hamoni had resulted to the meditation techniques her grandfather had taught her when she was a little girl. It had worked to keep her calm and focused on school instead of the strangeness of the things she saw. It basically made her problems disappear.

But no amount of meditation would make this disappear.

The first thing Hamoni saw when she woke up in the morning, was Sesshomaru watching her with intent golden eyes from where he sat under a tree. Her neck throbbed where he had bitten her the day before. Her anger came rushing back. She normally wasn't an angry person but this man seemed to be an expert in finding and pushing all of her buttons. Then again she had never been one to let a man, any man, get to her before.

This one was tap dancing on her last good nerve.

If it wasn't for Rin snuggled up against her, still sound asleep, she would have thrown something at him.

As it was, she wasn't going to disturb Rin and simply closed her eyes with a huff. She was a real sucker for children it seemed. Rin didn't get to sleep for much longer before Jaken was awake and poking Hamoni in the back with the end of his staff. Hamoni bolted up, grabbing Jaken by the back of his clothes and throwing him away from her. Sesshomaru had already made the leash on her temper short. She didn't need Jaken adding in.

"If you're going to wake someone up, you could be less rude about it. I may be human, but I am still a lady." Hamoni told him as she got to her feet, helping up a sleepy Rin. "Come on, Rin. Let's find our breakfast."

Rin helped Hamoni to roll up the bed roll. The two, with Jaken and Sesshomaru watching, went to a nearby stream to catch fish. While Rin crouched in the water, waiting for a fish to pass, Hamoni searched for herbs to add a little flavor to the fish. When she looked up to find Sesshomaru watching her closely, she stood up straight, hands going to her hips.

"I have a question for you. If you are so concerned about other demons trying to run off with me, then why won't you return my sword to me? You've already prove I can't beat you in a sword fight and even if I can't best you, I do know how to defend myself." Hamoni said.

Sesshomaru eyed her, his gold eyes scanning her from top to bottom. Hamoni felt like she was being thoroughly examined, like he was peering beneath her skin or something along those lines. It did nothing to make her comfortable. Not that she had been before hand. She honestly didn't know what she was expecting, asking that question. He had denied her of her sword every time she had asked so far. It really should have been a given that he would...again. She watched his hand go to the hilt of her sword where it rested along side his.

"No." came his simply reply.

Real big shock there.

It was almost like Sesshomaru wanted her to have to rely on him for protection. There was no way she was going to do that. She would let herself be eaten by a demon first. And if he was going to insist that she couldn't have her sword to protect herself, than she was going to make him regret his choice.

Pay back for the hickey.

But that meant she would have to wait until his scent faded from her body and clothes. No demon would come near her while she smelled of him. She could hide the mark. Hamoni eyes drifted to the river. Perhaps a bath and scrubbing with strong smelling herbs would help that process along.

"Rin."

Rin looked up from the fish caught in her hands when Hamoni called her name. She fumbled with the slippery creature for a moment but kept it in her grasp.

"Yes?" Rin asked.

"After we eat, how about we take a bath. We both could use it and our clothes could use a wash." Hamoni suggested.

Jaken opened his mouth to protest but Hamoni shut him up with a logical argument. She told him that, while she absolutely loved being in their presence, both she and Rin were young ladies and needed to take time away from them to bathe properly. Of course, is was all said in the most sarcastic tone she could manage. Sesshomaru didn't argue and after the girls ate, they retreated to a part of the river that ran off into a circle of tall boulders, forming a pool. They wouldn't be easily seen and could bathe in somewhat privacy.

Rin happily shed her clothes and jumped into the water with a surprised gasp at how cold the water was. Hamoni was slower about getting in. She gave her head a dunk in the water to help her adjust to the cold and when she was use to it, she turned to her bag, pulling out a bar of soap, shampoo, and some of the strongest smelling herbs she possessed. Half of the herbs she laid out and the other half she crushed into a pulp.

"Come here, Rin. Let's get you washed." Hamoni said, gesturing the little girl over to her.

Rin swam over, letting Hamoni scrub her from head to toe with the soap. Like any child, Rin squirmed, squealing now and then in laughter when Hamoni scrubbed a ticklish spot. It put a smile on Hamoni's face, reminding her of when she was younger and had helped her mother with bathing her siblings. When Rin's body was wash, Hamoni then washed her hair and rinsed it. When she deemed the child clean, she let her get to washing her kimono while Hamoni washed herself. Hamoni made sure to scrub herself vigorously with the herbs until her skin smelled strongly of them. She then used the pulp like lotion, further adding the strong scent to her skin.

She even put it in her hair.

Satisfied with that, she joined Rin with washing clothes, where she added more of the herb pulp to her clothes. They sat their clothes out to dry and Hamoni sat down to brush out Rin's hair. It reminded her of when she and Kagome had been little and she had brushed and played with Kagome's hair. It put a smile on her face.

"Miss Hamoni," Rin started, turning enough to look over her shoulder at Hamoni, who hummed in questioning. "Do you hate Lord Sesshomaru?"

Hamoni frowned, one side of her mouth twisting up. What was she suppose to say to this child when the very demon involved was one that had saved her life. Hamoni couldn't bare to make Rin unhappy by badmouthing Sesshomaru where he couldn't at least defend himself. But did she honestly hate him? Yes, he annoyed her, and yes, there had been more than one time where she had wanted to strangle him...but hate?

No.

Hate was simply too strong of an emotion.

"I wouldn't say that I hate him. He most certainly isn't my most favorite of people, but I don't hate him. He simply grates on my nerves." Hamoni replied.

"So you don't hate him?" Rin asked.

"No, I don't hate him. Hate is too strong an emotion." Hamoni answered.

Rin looked over her shoulder at Hamoni, but her face was straight, not giving away anything she felt. Rin turned back around with a smile, just happy that Hamoni didn't hate Sesshomaru. The two finished their bathing and drying, dressed, and returned to the camp. When Hamoni and Rin rejoined the demons of their group, Sesshomaru's eyes locked in on Hamoni almost instantly. She watched his nostrils flare as he sniffed the air. She pretended not to notice as she moved to help Rin put out and disperse what was left of their fire. When she stood up and turned around, she came face to face with Sesshomaru who was sniffing her.

"Can I help you?" Hamoni asked sourly, stepping around him.

His eyes tracked her, staying locked on her neck where she had covered his mark with a bandage. He could smell nothing but strong herbs on her. Not a lick of his scent remained. She had effectively hidden all signs of his markings...and it angered him. He had gone through the trouble of marking her with both the bite and his scent.

But he didn't do anything to her. His scent was strong. Soon the herb scent would fade and his would come through. She would have simply wasted her herbs for nothing.

Simple as that.

-0-0-0-0-

So it wasn't that simple.

The herb smell never faded and with his marks basically nullified, demons attacked them once more, seeking to take Hamoni. Except this time...she didn't try to stop them or avoid them. She simply stood there, her arms crossed, forcing him to defend her. Each time he turned a glare on her, she grinned in his face.

The spiteful woman!

How his father had dealt with not just his mother, but Inuyasha's as well, was beyond him. Women were aggravating. This **one** woman was going to break his usually well maintained control. If her sister was anything like her than Sesshomaru could almost feel sorry for Inuyasha. Hamoni simply found it amusing and was all but laughing at his face.

Sesshomaru couldn't explain it but to see her reject any sign of him on her, grated on all of his nerves. It had him gritting his teeth and growling to himself. The minimal amount of contact he had gone through to rub his scent on her wasn't going to be enough to break through the smell of herbs. Perhaps prolonged contact would do the trick.

If she wanted to be spiteful, then he could be too.

That night, when Hamoni was done setting up the sleeping roll for her and Rin, she stood up to check the fire. As she passed Sesshomaru, he reached out, grabbing her by the wrist. With a yank, he pulled her down, into his lap. Hamoni let out a gasp of shock and squirmed, trying to right herself. The moment she was sitting up, she started to turn, to get angry at him, but was stopped when his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her firmly against him, her back to his chest.

His mokomoko wrapped around them, creating a warm blanket over her. But his arm never moved from around her waist. No amount of squirming would free her from his grip.

"What are yo-"

"Silence." Sesshomaru demanded, his mouth right by her ear.

Jaken and Rin were watching, both with wide eyes. Hamoni felt her heart jump into a rapid beat, pounding against her rib cage. Just what did this man think he was doing and why did hearing his voice in her ear like that make her heart leap? She didn't understand it and she definitely didn't want to be in the position she was in at that moment.

"You will sleep here for now on." Sesshomaru said, loud enough for Jaken and Rin to hear.

Jaken protested but one look from Sesshomaru shut him up. Rin smiled, thinking it was just the two of them getting along better. She simply climbed into the bedroll and snuggled up, her back to them. Jaken walked around Ah-Uh and plopped down out of sight. Rin was fooled...Hamoni was not. Sesshomaru's voice lowered once more and Hamoni could feel his lips against the shell of her ear.

"You will not be able to hide my scent with your plants if you sleep here. And do not think I will not punish you for hiding the mark. I told you not to. You are **mine** to do with as I wish. Remember that." he said lowly, right into her ear.

Hamoni tried pulling her head away, but he held her firmly in his grip. Her heart skipped a beat before continuing it's fast, hammering pace against her ribs. With his chest pressed against her back, she was sure he had to feel her poor heart's frantic beating. She stiffened further when he leaned in, sniffing her neck.

"I do not like the smell of those plants. I cannot smell your scent." he remarked, his tone taking on a growl-like quality.

Hamoni shivered when his hot breath bellowed across her neck. She squirmed, trying to pull away from him and managed to jam an elbow back into his chest, hissing at him to stop and back off. Sesshomaru's arm tightened around him and he opened his mouth, his fangs scraping over her skin, pressing down just enough to let her feel them, but not enough to pierce the skin. It was a clear threat for her to settle down or he would bite her again. Hamoni instantly drew completely still.

One bite was bad enough.

When he was sure she wasn't going to move again, he eased his fangs away from her skin. He had only ever been this close to her for brief moments. To have her completely trapped in his embrace for a full night...it allowed him to notice little things about her. Like the birthmark shaped like cherry blossom petal hidden just under the fall of her hair on the back of her neck. Or like how thin she really was under her clothes. She was easily half his size and his arm completely circled her waist.

The thing he noticed the most was how her heart was beating fast in her chest and how she shivered and goosebumps appeared on her skin whenever he breathed on her neck. Just to see how she would react, Sesshomaru nipped lightly at her neck. Hamoni jolted and instantly, her elbow went back, seeking his ribs once more. Sesshomaru twisted to the side and instead of finding the unprotected part of his chest, her elbow collided with the metal of his armor.

Hamoni jerked her elbow back with a hiss, rubbing at it. She was sure he did it on purpose. In fact, she could feel the grin that played across his lips, which were still pressed to her skin. She sworn to herself then that she was going to turn him into a fur coat at this rate. She latched onto his arm then, trying to pry it from around her waist. She knew something was up when he let her pull his arm from around her. She was about to bolt when he suddenly snaked his arm around her and under her thighs, scooping her up.

Sesshomaru shift, sitting with his left leg bent like he was sitting Indian style and the other bent up at the knee. He sat her, sitting side ways, on the left leg, letting her lean back against his right leg. Once again, his arm wrapped around her. Hamoni turned her head to shoot him a glare. His face was barely a few inches from hers. His eyes met hers. For a moment they just stared at each other.

"Go to sleep." he said suddenly, leaning back against the tree behind him, his arm pulling her against his chest.

Hamoni gave one last effort to push herself away from him, but he wasn't budging. She was going to be forced to stay there all night because he obviously wasn't going to let her go until the sun rose in the morning.

Simply put...she was stuck.

So much for a good night's worth of sleep.

As she had said before...he was tap dancing on her last good nerve.

END

Kyandi: Just picturing being in that position gave me chills too.

Hamoni: I could have done without the fangs though.

Kyandi: Hey, those can be fun if you know how to use them.

Hamoni: You spend to much time writing this stuff.

Kyandi: You're point?

Hamoni: Never mind. If you don't get it, I'm not going to point it out.

Kyandi: Uh-huh...whatever you say. Everyone enjoy and review!

Hamoni: We'll be back as soon as possible.

Kyandi: Bye-bye!


End file.
